How the Education ministry is tackling safety, funding woes

Julius Ogamba, the soft-spoken Education CS, has taken his seat at the helm of Jogoo House at a time of seismic changes.

His in-tray is brimming with restive teaching unions, horrifying school fires, disenchanted university students and a nation inured to promises.

The suave lawyer, more at home in wood-panelled and air conditions boardrooms, says he is ready for the long haul and warns lords of graft and cartels leeching on public cash that they will meet their waterloo.

Below are excerpts of his interview with the Star's James Mbaka.

The latest Auditor General’s report paints a gloomy picture of the state of buildings in our public schools. What will you do to address this and the many accidents in schools?

We have started a special national audit of all public basic education institutions. The audit will help us ascertain the state of infrastructure and make decisions that will enhance the safety of our children.

The audit also seeks to confirm the state of compliance with the School Safety Standards Manual. Where we find that there is no compliance with the requirements, appropriate action will be taken to ensure that we safeguard the safety of our children. We want to achieve a strict enforcement of the relevant standards and protocols so that never again will we lose our children in accidents that could have been prevented.

In the past, task force reports have been compiled on issues touching on school safety. Why has this not been implemented?

This is part of the audit we are undertaking. The audit will include a self-assessment of the Ministry of Education and the relevant players. We are seeking to establish where the failures have been and to take the appropriate enforcement action.

What measures will you put in place to ensure our schools are safe for learners?

Firstly, we will ensure that the School Safety Standards Manual is strictly enforced. We want to strengthen our Quality Assurance and Standards team so that it does the job it is supposed to do. Secondly, we are also reviewing the manual with a view to strengthening it and to make it even more comprehensive. Thirdly, we will work with other parties to strengthen the legal framework on punishing negligence and acts of arson that pose a danger to our learners. We have agreed to work closely with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for stronger enforcement.

Do you believe that the government should set a minimum age for allowing student admission to boarding school? And is the government considering scrapping boarding schools for primary school pupils?

We need to have a discussion as a country on whether we need boarding schools. There are many factors to be considered, which necessitate elaborate stakeholder consultations. As a ministry, we cannot just make a decision one way or the other without the benefit of stakeholders and public participation. What we can guarantee in the meantime is that we will ensure that all schools, including boarding schools, meet the requisite safety standards and that these standards are enforced strictly for the safety of our children.

Can banks help students going to college get interest-controlled loans?

This would be a welcome possibility. At the moment, the loans we offer to our students through the Higher Education Loans Board are funded by the Exchequer. Students also get different amounts depending on their demonstrated level of need. It is a conversation that the government can start to have to expand the loans available to students.

What is your plan with rationalisation of colleges?

We want to build a globally competitive education system. We are reviewing our legal and policy environment to set the stage for our higher education institutions to thrive. What we are doing to promote sustainability and relevance in higher education is to encourage our universities and colleges to develop niches so that they can optimise their performance in their areas of specialisation. We are also encouraging them to internationalise, including through productive partnerships with sister institutions. This way, each of our higher education institutions will not only be relevant but also sustainable.

What are some of the quick solutions you can find to get colleges and universities to a healthy financial state?

Universities need to create niches and specialise, to make themselves unique and therefore attractive to students and researchers in those areas. They need to enhance their research and innovation capacity and to commercialise their research and innovations. They should also build strategic partnerships with local and external partners to grow themselves. Universities should also learn from the rest of the world and leverage on the immense potential of their alumni base to mobilise resources.

The new university funding model has not been received well, so what will you do to ensure it receives acceptance?

I think there has been a communication problem. The public and stakeholders have not been properly sensitised on the model. This is what we are currently doing to ensure that the model is properly understood and that it is not the subject of misinformation. As you are aware, His Excellency the President has formed the National Working Committee on Review of the New University Education Funding Model, involving student representation, to address the concerns that stakeholders have been raising.

What in your view is the positive of the new model?

The Student-Centred Funding Model is a good model because it focuses on the level of need of a specific student. It is based on the need to achieve equity and inclusivity in higher education funding. Since it is a Student-Centred Model, money follows the student.

Why was the change from old model necessary?

The Differentiated Unit Cost (DUC) Model was not working. The Government had committed to provide 80 per cent of the programme cost, while the rest would be a household contribution. However, the highest that the government ever provided was slightly above 66 per cent. This is the primary reason why our public universities ended up accumulating heavy pending bills. By the time the Student-Centred Funding Model was introduced in May 2023, universities were indebted to the tune of Sh61 billion. The sustainability of the institutions was under threat. The financing framework, therefore had to be reworked as a matter of urgency.

There have been concerns about ghost students in both secondary and primary schools? Is the Nemis working? If not, what will you do to fix that?

The Nemis is working. Only learners who are on Nemis receive capitation. This ensures that no learner who is not properly registered is funded. For one to be registered on Nemis, they are required to have a birth certificate or an assessment number assigned by the Kenya National Examinations Council after the first assessment in Grade 3. The requirement for a birth certificate or an assessment number is designed to prevent the risk of ghost students.

You have taken over the sector at a time when there have been various issues affecting it. How different will your leadership be in finding solutions? What will be your approach?

My strategy is to work together with all stakeholders in a broad-based and consultative way, to address the challenges facing the sector. I am committed to getting solutions to the challenges that the sector faces.

Many have argued that you are a lawyer with no experience in the public sector. What makes you feel that you are the right person at Jogoo House?

The education sector is itself underpinned by law. The Ministry of Education primarily implements the Basic Education Act, 2013; the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Act, 2013; and the Universities Act, 2012.

I believe that my being a lawyer qualifies me for this role. At present, the ministry is involved in a comprehensive legal and policy reform exercise, in which my background as a lawyer will be useful. Importantly, however, I believe that the role of a Cabinet Secretary requires a visionary and strategic administrator to provide both policy leadership and oversight over the ministry. These are leadership and managerial capabilities, which do not necessarily depend on one’s professional qualifications.

What has been your experience at Jogoo House since you took over office? Has there been any resistance? Have you heard of cartels? What are you doing to deal with them?

There has been no resistance against me at Jogoo House. I have been well-received. I assumed office in the midst of many challenges, including industrial action by our teachers, raging debate on the Student-Centred Funding Model and fires in our schools.

The team at the ministry has been particularly supportive, with very useful perspectives as we have navigated through these challenges. I have made it clear that there will be no tolerance to any form of corruption at the ministry, and I stand ready to take appropriate action should any be brought to my attention. Most importantly, we are working as a team in the ministry and in the sector to provide solutions to the many challenges that the sector is facing.