The Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms(PWPER) has recommended a radical overhaul of the current architecture of quality assurance.
The team which on Tuesday handed over its report to President William Ruto said the government should harmonise the quality assurance mandate.
The panel recommended that the Ministry of Education's quality assurance department be handed legal authority to oversee quality assurance and standards function.
Accordingly, the quality assurance and standards function at the Teachers Service Commission(TSC) will be transferred to the Ministry of Education.
''This harmonisation of QAS functions should be anchored in law,'' the committee noted.
The panel also noted that such strengthening of the function would be through appropriate legislation, financing, staffing and capacity building.
The team recommends that the Directorate of Quality Assurance and Standards be conferred with operational powers in law to enable it to enforce laws, regulations, policies, and guidelines of MoE.
''The powers shall include but are not limited to, the power to order the immediate closure of institutions that contravene set regulations and to establish a system of rewards and sanctions,'' the PWPER said.
The committee wants the Ministry of Education should comprehensively review the National Education Quality Assurance and Standards Framework (NEQASF) to address the gaps, align it to international standards and improve its efficacy in assuring quality in education.
''The Ministry of Education should consolidate and publish all prescribed Basic Education standards for easy access by all stakeholders,'' the committee said.
The panel wants the Ministry of Education to develop a framework for participation in regional and international quality assurance fairs and competitions for students.
The panel said that although the role of quality assurance and standards is an important organ in ensuring quality education is delivered at the school level, DQAS in the Ministry of Education faces challenges which have affected its capacity.
For example, the report says, DQAS faces staff shortages and concurrent powers with TSC, which has created jurisdictional conflicts, financial and infrastructural constraints, training, and improper deployment of QAS officers.
