A varsity don has pleaded with the political class to keep politics off the education sector saying that it’s detrimental to the country’s education landscape and future of thousands of learners.
Mount Kenya University (MKU) Pro-Chancellor, Dr Vincent Gaitho said that politicizing education matters does not augur well for the future of the country.
“The education sector has no vacuum; it has its owners. These include teachers, education officials, pupils, students, parents, private sector investors and government officials. Politicians should speak less,” he said.
Dr Gaitho, who is also chairman of the University Council at MKU and chair of Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA)’s education board, said many people of his generation studied in different schools in various parts of the country, particularly for A Levels. “Some people from Mt Kenya region went to schools at the Coast, Rift Valley, Western Kenya,” he noted.
The university administrator said education thrives in a cool and quiet environment, not in a noisy atmosphere. “Politicians are now interfering,” he added. He was speaking on current developments and challenges facing the education sector in Nairobi.
This comes after the former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua raised controversy after describing the current process on the placement of Grade 10 learners in senior schools, as discriminatory and unfair to both the high-performing learners and their parents, particularly in Mount Kenya region.
“The placement of our children has been centralized at Jogoo House which is rooted in corruption because the bureaucrats sitting in Jogoo House have no capacity to place kids. Kids have been placed in a day school 300km from their home. How do you expect these children to go about with their lives?” Gachagua asked.
Gachagua said the senior school placement exercise has also exposed the inequalities facing the education sector despite the heavy investment through devolution and the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF).
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The politician also accused the leaders of Northern Kenya of failing to prioritize development, arguing that the devolution and the Equalization Fund, as well as the equitable share of revenue to counties, were meant to correct historical marginalization. He said after more than 10 years of devolution, a time had come for the country to re-examine the special treatment accorded to these counties.
According to Dr Gaitho, MKU has campuses all over the country. “Education is an equalizer and a unifier. Kids should be allowed to learn anywhere. However, counties should invest more in their local schools, support development of adequate infrastructure so that every part of Kenya becomes a magnet for those who seek education opportunities. Our problem is that we have many learners who are yet to join senior schools,” he said.
He said most parents cannot afford uniforms and other requirements, let alone fees charged in senior schools. “We need to change our ways. The government has been too slow in releasing capitation funds. The little money schools have received has gone to pay old debts. The State is unable to pay for education in full,” he said.
The educationist praised the new Competency-Based Education (CBE), a major shift from the old 8-4-4 system, that focuses on practical skills, values, and real-world application rather than just rote learning, aiming to prepare students for 21st-century. “CBE is creating pathways such as sciences and technology, arts and sports,” he noted.
Dr Gaitho said CBE should aim to train global civil servants.“We must grow the economy too to create jobs for the youth. Industry and academia should cooperate, work together so that learners can meet the expectations of industry,” he added.
He called for dialogue between local publishers and the government on pending bills for text books supplied and the way forward. “They should talk. Funding is key. Corruption should be dealt with ruthlessly. Enhance dialogue and avoid chest thumping and invest in this crucial education sector,” he said.
By John Kamau
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