Let’s celebrate Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i and support reforms

Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has quickly emerged as the most results-oriented senior official in Government. Who would have thought that anyone in Government was able to fix the education sector – a field dominated by the strongest union in the country and which impacts virtually every household? Well, Dr Matiang’i has taken the bull by the horns and appears to have won the first round. The 2016 KCPE examination cycle went without any major hitches, and the announcement of results was perfectly-timed to send the message that things are now being done differently at the Ministry of Education.

For all of this, Kenyans of goodwill should congratulate Matiang’i and wish him well. Taking on the cartels that were responsible for exam leakage and the complete loss of faith in the system was most likely not easy. Many powerful people stood to lose money. The networks were elaborate, linking the Kenya National Examination Council with head teachers and education officers across the country. Matiang’i’s successful disruption of these networks is a win for the integrity of our examination system.