Former Migori County Woman Representative Dr. Pamela Odhiambo has advised the national government and education stakeholders to thoroughly examine the benefits and drawbacks of transferring the management of education to county governments before making any final decision.
Speaking during an education stakeholders’ meeting at Migori Teachers Training College (MTTC), Dr. Odhiambo stressed that education must be handled as a special case. She cautioned against rushing into decisions that could disrupt progress already made in the sector.
Her remarks come days after the 13th National Devolution Conference in Homa Bay County, where Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga argued that the time had come for primary and secondary school management to be devolved to counties.
Drawing comparisons with the health sector, which is already fully devolved, Dr. Odhiambo urged governors to first resolve inefficiencies in healthcare delivery before “scrambling” to control education, which she noted is still stabilizing under the new curriculum.
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Instead of a complete transfer, she encouraged county governments to work in partnership with national education authorities to address existing challenges and provide adequate support for learners.
Her position aligns with the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) and the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), both of which have opposed Odinga’s proposal.
The unions, led by KNUT Secretary General Collins Oyuu and KUPPET Secretary General Akelo Misori, pointed to the Early Childhood Development (ECD) sector as a clear example of the counties’ struggles to effectively manage education at the grassroots level.
They argued that the national government should concentrate on strengthening the sector by addressing teachers’ concerns and ensuring the smooth rollout of the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system, rather than shifting responsibility to counties.
By Benedict Aoya
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