- The National Assembly Education Committee has urged Kenyans to support six proposed education reform Bills.
- Kibra MP Peter Orero says the measures seek to expand access and reform financing across education.
- Stakeholders in Kisumu also raised concerns over funding, JSS autonomy and school governance.
The National Assembly Departmental Committee on Education has called on Kenyans to support six Bills aimed at reforming the country’s education system.
Led by Kibra MP Peter Orero, the committee said the proposed laws are intended to strengthen access, financing and governance across different levels of education. Parliament identifies Orero as the current Member of Parliament for Kibra.
Speaking at the Kisumu National Polytechnic during a public participation exercise, Orero said one of the proposals under consideration is to consolidate education financing mechanisms so that students can benefit from a more coordinated funding system.
He said the committee was also considering approaches that could move Kenya closer to a system in which education is more widely accessible without prohibitive costs to learners and families.
Orero cited Germany as an example of a system where public education is heavily subsidised and said stakeholders had proposed stronger public financing across different levels of learning.
On university and TVET financing, Orero said participants had proposed zero-interest student loans, greater transparency in student placement and longer grace periods before loan repayment begins.
The wider education reform programme has included proposals on tertiary education placement and funding, universities, TVET institutions and amendments to the Kenya National Qualifications Framework.
Orero said participants also raised concerns about strict penalties proposed for some offences under basic education reforms, including sanctions relating to unregistered institutions.
He said stakeholders called for greater dialogue, due diligence and proportionality in enforcement.
Junior Secondary School representatives and other participants also pushed for greater administrative and financial autonomy within the current education structure.
A similar policy debate has previously featured in Parliament, where proposals have called for an independent administrative and operational framework for Junior Secondary Schools.
Teachers seek stronger role in school governance
Lugari MP Nabii Nabwera said the proposed reforms could help widen sources of education financing, including external funding.
Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Kisumu Branch Executive Secretary George Osura called for more teachers to be incorporated into school boards, citing their role in the management of learning institutions.
Osura also called for a review of provisions relating to corporal punishment and the role of school sponsors, saying the latter has frequently generated conflicts in some institutions.
The six Bills under discussion include the Tertiary Education, Placement and Funding Bill, 2026; the Basic Education Bill, 2026; the Kenya National Educational Assessments Council Bill, 2026; the Pre-Service Education and In-Service Training Bill, 2026; the Kenya National Qualifications Framework (Amendment) Bill, 2026; and the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
Parliament has separately published the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (Amendment) Bill, 2026, while earlier government reporting listed reforms touching on tertiary placement and funding, basic education, KICD and the qualifications framework among the education laws under review.
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The public participation exercise is part of the process through which stakeholders are invited to give views before Parliament considers the proposed laws further.
By Fredrick Odiero
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