- The National Assembly Education Committee has held public participation forums in Turkana and Wajir on six proposed Education Reform Bills.
- Stakeholders have raised concerns over inadequate capitation, boarding school support, disability inclusion and TVET investment in marginalised areas.
- Committee chairperson Julius Melly has affirmed that submissions from Turkana, Tarbaj and other forums will inform the committee’s next stage of deliberation.
Equity in education took centre stage as the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Education and Research continued public participation on six proposed Education Reform Bills across the country.
Led by committee chairperson Julius Melly, the committee engaged teachers, parents, learners, education managers, persons with disabilities and other stakeholders in Turkana County, with participants highlighting the unique challenges facing learners in marginalised communities.
Among the key concerns raised were inadequate capitation, limited support for boarding schools, challenges faced by learners with disabilities, and the need for greater investment in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions and tertiary education. Stakeholders said education reforms should take into account the circumstances of communities where poverty, long distances and limited infrastructure continue to affect access to quality education.
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The committee also held a public participation forum at Tarbaj Teachers Training College in Wajir, where members of the public were given an opportunity to make submissions on the proposed legislation.
The six Bills seek to address key areas of the education sector, including tertiary education funding, teacher training, basic education, curriculum development, assessment and national qualifications. The consultations are intended to ensure that the views of those directly affected by the proposed changes are considered before the Bills proceed to further parliamentary deliberation.
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Melly said the engagement was important in ensuring that communities, particularly those that have historically faced challenges in accessing education, have their concerns reflected in the legislative process. He added that the committee will compile and consider the views gathered from Turkana, Tarbaj and other public participation forums as it prepares for the next stage of consideration of the proposed reforms.
Stakeholders called for an education system where a learner’s chances of success are not determined by their location, disability or economic circumstances.
By Lizzy Aluga
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