Six proposed laws aimed at changing how Kenya’s education system is managed, assessed and financed are now before the National Assembly, with MPs set to examine reforms covering schools, teachers, tertiary institutions and national qualifications.
The six Bills have been sponsored by Leader of the Majority Party Kimani Ichung’wah and have been referred to the Committee on Education for public participation.
They cover a wide range of issues in the education sector, including the management of basic education institutions, national assessment, curriculum development, teacher preparation and professional training. Other proposals focus on the placement and financing of students in tertiary institutions and the recognition of academic and professional qualifications.
The proposals are contained in the Basic Education (Amendment) Bill, 2026; Kenya National Education Assessment Bill, 2026; Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (Amendment) Bill, 2026; Pre-Service Education and In-Service Training in Basic Education Bill, 2026; Tertiary Education Placement and Funding Bill, 2026; and Kenya National Qualifications Framework (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
The Basic Education (Amendment) Bill, 2026 is seeking to revise the laws that guide the running of basic education.
The proposed changes cover the administration and governance of education institutions, quality assurance and standards, special needs education and the management of information within the education sector.
The Bill comes at a time when the education system is being adjusted to support Competency-Based Education, while efforts are also being made to deal with gaps in access and the administration of learning institutions.
Changes to the national assessment system are proposed under the Kenya National Education Assessment Bill, 2026.
The Bill seeks to establish a fresh legal framework for national assessment and replace the current legal provisions governing the Kenya National Examinations Council.
It proposes a system that would place greater attention on learners’ competencies rather than relying mainly on examinations.
The proposed law would also allow for electronic assessment and provide measures aimed at dealing with examination malpractice.
The role of the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development would also be reviewed under the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
The proposed law seeks to give the Institute a clearer role and address areas where its responsibilities overlap with other functions.
Its work would be centred on basic and teacher education, while changes would also be made to its governance structure.
Teacher training is covered by another proposed law, the Pre-Service Education and In-Service Training in Basic Education Bill, 2026.
The Bill seeks to establish a legal basis for preparing teachers before they join the profession and supporting their continued professional development once they are in service.
It also sets out institutions and structures that would coordinate pre-service and in-service teacher education.
For students joining universities, colleges and technical and vocational education and training institutions, changes are proposed under the Tertiary Education Placement and Funding Bill, 2026.
The Bill seeks to introduce a new framework for both placement and financing of students in tertiary education.
A major proposal is the formation of the Tertiary Education Funding Authority (TEFA), which would serve as the main institution responsible for tertiary education financing.
TEFA would bring together functions currently carried out by the Higher Education Loans Board, the Universities Fund and the TVET Fund.
The proposed arrangement is intended to create a more coordinated approach to financing students in tertiary institutions.
The Bill would also change the role of the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) in placing students and establish a new legal basis for funding tertiary education.
Meanwhile, the Kenya National Qualifications Framework (Amendment) Bill, 2026 seeks to improve the way qualifications are recognised and regulated nationally.
The proposed changes include a registration system for institutions that issue qualifications and the creation of a national database containing information on qualifications.
The database and registration framework are expected to form part of the proposed system for managing and recognising academic and professional qualifications.
The six Bills have been handed to the Committee on Education for public participation, giving members of the public and other stakeholders an opportunity to present their views before the proposed changes proceed to the next stages of consideration.