A subtle realignment at the Ministry of Education in Nairobi last week has thrown the entire sector into unexpected disarray. For months, Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba had been the face of a unified approach, steering educational reforms with a clear direction.
But that control has gradually slipped away as his authority was undermined by conflicting decisions coming from within his own ministry.
The confusion started in late July when Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok issued a circular that overturned long-standing guidelines on how capitation funds are disbursed.
Just days later, another memo came from University Education Principal Secretary Beatrice Inyangala, this time shifting funds toward bursaries meant for students in tertiary institutions.
Suddenly, county education officers found themselves stuck between two instructions that pointed in completely different directions.
This split revealed deeper differences within the ministry. The two principal secretaries were clearly prioritizing different levels of education Bitok focused on basic education while Inyangala concentrated on tertiary funding. What had once been a smooth and organized system quickly turned chaotic. The confusion filtered down to schools and learning institutions where normal operations began to stall.
By the end of July, there were already signs that things were falling apart. Some county officials reported delays in stipend payments, while others said the procurement of classroom materials had completely stopped.
Feeding programs meant for students were abruptly interrupted and planned examinations had to be pushed back. Teachers were left in limbo, unsure about when their promotions would come through.
Administrative staff, on the other hand, were struggling to manage multiple chains of command, with no clear leader to turn to.Interestingly, while this confusion grew, both Bitok and Inyangala ended up gaining more power in their respective areas.
With the Cabinet Secretary’s role becoming more ceremonial, the two principal secretaries started running day-to-day operations, effectively splitting the ministry’s influence between them.
This division brought to light a long-standing problem there is a lack of clarity in the Education Act about who exactly holds final decision-making power in the ministry.
Most stakeholders had always believed that the Cabinet Secretary’s word was final on all major education matters. But the recent events suggest otherwise.
Behind closed doors, some ministry officials have quietly hinted that the President’s office may soon have to step in and issue fresh regulations to clear up the confusion.
Yet as of August 5, 2025, no official word has come from State House. Without that clarity, the progress made in rolling out the new curriculum and other reforms now hangs in the balance, with no clear path forward.
