Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring accessible, quality, and affordable education under the new higher education funding model.
Speaking at the Sixth Biennial Education Evidence for Action Conference at the University of Embu, Ogamba assured that university fees now range between Sh5,814 and Sh75,000 per semester, depending on student need and programme costs. He emphasized that the government, in collaboration with the National Treasury, is working to ensure the timely release of Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) and capitation funds as schools reopen for the third term, a critical period for assessments and national examinations.
“To date, HELB has disbursed Sh9.46 billion to 309,178 students,” Ogamba noted, highlighting the government’s progress in cushioning learners and families.
The CS underscored the importance of evidence-based research in shaping policy and reforms within the education sector. He commended the University of Embu, the Deans of Education Forum, and research partners for fostering collaboration between policymakers, academia, and practitioners. “Evidence is now a fundamental mission of Kenya’s education sector. It allows us to make decisions that directly improve access, quality, and outcomes,” he said.
The conference, themed “Re-imagining Education in Kenya: Reforming Teacher Education for Sustainable Development,” comes at a time when the Ministry of Education is implementing major recommendations from the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform. These include domiciling junior secondary schools within primary schools, rationalising learning areas under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) framework, and preparing for the transition to senior school.
Ogamba revealed that 11 education bills are being finalised to align the sector’s legal framework with ongoing reforms. On teacher training, he stressed the need to align programmes with CBE to ensure educators impart practical and employable skills. The ministry has already upgraded certificate programmes in teacher training colleges to diploma level and rolled out continuous professional development for in-service teachers.
Additionally, the CS highlighted the Kenya Education Management Information System (KEMIS), a centralised digital platform to track learner data across all levels of education and support evidence-driven policy decisions.
