Murang’a: The government has called for increased private sector investment in education, even as it moves to tighten oversight and improve safety standards in schools across the country.
According to Kenya News Agency, Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok, speaking during an academic clinic for Grade 10 students at Pioneer School in Murang’a, emphasized the importance of private sector participation in expanding educational opportunities for Kenyan learners. He noted that this would provide parents with more options when selecting schools for their children and stressed the need for a multi-stakeholder approach in the education sector.
Bitok encouraged partners and investors to build more schools, highlighting that private sector investment is on the rise, with 18,000 private schools currently in the country. He directed all schools to register under the Kenya Education Management Information System (KEMIS), a central platform that integrates various education stakeholders including the Kenya
National Examinations Council and the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development. Bitok warned that capitation funds for the third term will only be distributed to institutions registered on the system.
In response to rising cases of unrest in schools, Bitok assured parents of the government’s commitment to improving safety standards. A nationwide audit has been launched to ensure compliance, with over one thousand quality assurance officers deployed to monitor and assist in containing unrest. Bitok also encouraged dialogue between school administrations and learners to prevent further disturbances, affirming that the school calendar will remain unchanged as only a few schools have been affected.
Teachers at Pioneer School, J. Ananda and Stanley Kinyanjui, echoed the government’s sentiment, urging parents to continue investing in their children’s education and describing it as a lifelong asset. They also emphasized the importance of discipline and focus for academic success.
