The National Assembly Committee on Education, led by the Session Chair, Abdul Haro, have raised concern over learning poverty, which they say has greatly impacted the impacts foundational literacy and numeracy skills.
Speaking yesterday, when they engaged in a strategic dialogue with Joseph O’Reilly, Executive Director, and International Parliamentary Network for Education (IPNEd), the Legislators acknowledged the current crisis, noting that persistent systemic failures, including a 79% ‘Learning Poverty’ rate meaning almost eight in ten ten-year-olds lack reading comprehension and substantial failures to meet minimum proficiency levels in both reading and numeracy, necessitated immediate and robust legislative intervention.
The Committee acknowledged that the crisis is compounded by significant persistent inequalities. Disparities in educational outcomes are clearly pronounced between urban and rural/ASAL (Arid and Semi-Arid Lands) learners, while children from low-income households and those with disabilities face systemic barriers and inadequate institutional support.
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Furthermore, the deliberations highlighted critical pedagogical skill gaps among teachers, where many lack the required content mastery and structured instructional techniques for effective early-grade teaching.
The engagement focused on the Urgency of Addressing Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN), which Committee Members identified as essential.
In leveraging IPNEd’s global expertise recognized as a renowned parliamentary network dedicated to education strengthening the Committee proposed a framework for strategic collaboration.
Key areas for joint action include developing robust tools for Parliament to track literacy and numeracy outcomes, enhancing accountability frameworks for the Ministry, and monitoring inclusion indicators.
By Juma Ndigo
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