The Ministry of Education has halted the execution of a report from the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform, which was presented to President William Ruto. In a comprehensive statement delivered to the National Assembly, Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu informed committee members that the recommendations put forth by the task force led by Prof. Raphael Munavu would not be put into action until the necessary laws are passed.
When presenting the statement to the House, Majority Whip Silvanus Osoro acknowledged that the Education Ministry had taken note of the concerns raised by legislators regarding the report’s implementation. He stated, “We have acknowledged the concerns of the members, and there are legislative proposals that we will present to the House for your approval.”
Osoro further explained to the committee, “The proposed reforms will not be implemented until the legislative process in this House is completed.”
Last week, Members of Parliament accused the ministry of overstepping its bounds by implementing the Prof. Raphael Munavu-led Presidential task force report without obtaining approval from the House.
The task force had made extensive recommendations that could potentially change the education system, and the implementation of several recommendations aligned with the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) had already commenced.
However, the National Assembly is now expressing concerns about how these recommendations are being put into practice before coming to the House for approval, whether as regulations or substantive laws.
Emukhaya MP Omboko Milemba raised a point of order, asserting that the recommendations made by Prof. Munavu’s team were in conflict with several laws, even the constitution, and he called on the Speaker to rule on why they were being implemented before receiving approval from the House.
“We seek your guidance to ensure that no one amends the law or the constitution through unconventional means,” Milemba challenged Speaker Moses Wetangula.
Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo accused the Education Ministry of attempting to bypass the legal process by not allowing Parliament or the courts to assess the legality of their recommendations.
“I am aware that not only is this a policy document that has not been transformed into law, but they have also purportedly established an implementation committee that is already putting it into practice. There has been no consideration of whether Parliament will accept it as law or not,” he stated.
Some of the programs already implemented in accordance with the Munavu task force recommendations include moving Junior Secondary School from high school to primary school, adopting a new grading system, introducing a new funding model, and reorganizing learning areas.