Hard truths. Bold Insights. Real talk.
The KCSE written papers are set to run from November 3 to November 21, lasting 18 days. The Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) will see 1,130,669 learners participate, while another 1,298,089 candidates have registered for the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA). Both assessments are scheduled between October 27 and November 6.
Public university Vice Chancellors have already begun disciplining staff who fail to resume duty. Prof. Daniel Mugendi, Chairperson of the Vice Chancellors Committee of Public Universities and Vice Chancellor of the University of Embu, warned that striking staff are aware of the legal consequences of their actions.
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula instructed Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah to ensure Ogamba appears before the House to respond to questions raised by lawmakers.
According to the Ministry, Term One for all pre-primary, primary, junior, senior, and secondary schools will run for 13 weeks from January 5 to April 2, 2026. A short half-term break will take place from February 25 to March 1, followed by a three-week April holiday from April 7 to April 24.
KISE also highlighted a funding need of Sh86 million for the Parental Empowerment Centre, which is still incomplete due to a shortfall of Sh185 million.
The unions recall that on October 28 2019, the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF) and UASU signed the 2017-2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which was subsequently registered with the Employment and Labour Relations Court.
KUPPET Kericho Executive Secretary Mary Rotich urged the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to immediately transfer all staff from Litein High, pointing out that the teachers had been wrongly held responsible for the unrest that followed fines imposed on parents to repair damage from the September 21 demonstrations.
The focus on fruit trees this year seeks to merge environmental protection with practical benefits for learners, creating fruit orchards within schools that contribute to the nation’s greening efforts while supplying nutritional value.
CS Ogamba confirmed that the Office of the Auditor-General had discovered anomalies in the distribution of capitation, including payments to schools that do not exist.
Lecturers under the University Academic Staff Union (UASU) and Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU) staged a march outside the University of Nairobi on Wednesday, reiterating their demand for the full Sh7.9 billion owed under the 2017–2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and pressing for talks on the 2025–2029 CBA.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba on Wednesday said the directive is aimed at protecting children and ensuring compliance with established school schedules.
The model, if adopted, could resemble systems in other countries where scholarship recipients, such as athletes or military trainees, are required to fulfill service duties before exploring private sector roles.
The alert comes as the country prepares to welcome the first cohort under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system into senior school next year.
The CEO will serve as the accounting officer and secretary to the board and will play a critical role in driving the organization’s strategic direction. The role involves developing long-term strategies and annual operating budgets, ensuring prudent management of resources, spearheading the implementation of performance contracts, and overseeing the development and compliance of internal systems and controls.
If implemented, the plan would allow the commission to set quotas for courses that produce the highest number of jobless graduates, particularly in the social sciences. The proposal seeks to align university education with present and future labour needs and ease frustrations among thousands of young people who complete studies but struggle to find employment.
CS Ogamba said the ministry has uncovered serious irregularities through an ongoing national audit of learners and schools, which is 75 per cent complete. He revealed that about 50,000 students listed in the system do not actually exist, adding that more discrepancies are still being uncovered.
The 2025 exams will see a record 3,424,836 candidates sit for KCSE, KPSEA, and KJSEA. This massive exercise will be supported by 10,765 centre managers, 12,126 supervisors, 54,782 invigilators, and 22,247 security officers for KCSE alone. Primary and junior exams require even more staff, including over 125,000 invigilators.
This year, a record 3,424,836 candidates will sit national exams: 996,078 for KCSE, 1,298,089 for KPSEA, and 1,130,669 for the inaugural KJSEA. To oversee the process, KNEC will deploy 54,782 invigilators and 22,247 security officers nationwide.
During a Thursday session, the National Assembly Committee on Education reviewed documents showing that the title deed was collected by the Ministry of Education on September 9, 2016. Despite repeated efforts to recover it, the school has yet to regain possession of the deed, raising questions about administrative follow-ups and accountability.
During an inspection visit to CUE offices in Gigiri, Nairobi, Members of Parliament voiced concern over the proliferation of forged degrees, insufficient staff, and a Sh935.7 million debt owed to the Commission.
Principal Secretary for Basic Education, Professor Julius Bitok, reaffirmed that no student involved in property destruction will go unpunished.
In a statement released on its official platform, the agency emphasised that all applications must be submitted digitally within the two-week window.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba told the Senate on Wednesday that the reforms aim to enhance school independence, address staffing concerns, and refine the JSS structural framework.
Appearing before the Senate, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba maintained that the government only owes lecturers Sh624 million, disputing the lecturers’ claim that the figure stands at Sh7.9 billion.
Speaking during a press briefing in Nairobi on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, union leaders accused the government and university councils of dragging their feet on Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) that have remained unimplemented for years.
TSC Director for Legal, Labour and Industrial Relations Cavin Anyuor revealed that since January 2024, the commission has received 111 reports of sexual misconduct involving teachers. The complaints range from sexual relations with learners to harassment, flirtation and sodomy. He said these cases are handled through the Code of Regulations for Teachers.
CS Ogamba explained that the ministry will no longer allow learners who destroy property or engage in criminal behaviour to remain in school as usual, stressing that discipline must be upheld in learning institutions.
By offering full scholarships, the program is expected to attract many qualified applicants from both the host community and the refugee population, boosting the region’s healthcare capacity over time.
A special report by the Office of the Auditor-General revealed that 33 non-existent schools had received funding meant for public institutions.
The students, who were eligible for diploma, certificate, and artisan courses, are missing from the official records of the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS), causing alarm about the future of this large group.