Murang’a education stakeholders called for junior secondary schools to operate as independent institutions with dedicated administrators, separate Boards of Management, and distinct funding during a public participation forum at Murang’a University of Technology on September 25, 2026, challenging the existing comprehensive school model.
Public Participation Forum at Murang’a University of Technology
Education stakeholders gathered at Murang’a University of Technology on September 25, 2026, to offer views on six proposed education bills before the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Education (according to the Kenya News Agency). The forum was presided over by Kasipul MP and Committee Vice Chairperson Eve Obara, alongside fellow legislators Elijah Njoroge, Clive Ombane, and Abdul Haro Kore).
The legislative package under review includes the Basic Education Bill, 2026, the Tertiary Education, Placement and Funding Bill, 2026, the Kenya National Educational Assessments Council Bill, 2026, the Pre-Service Education and In-Service Training Bill, 2026, the Kenya National Qualifications Framework (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (Amendment) Bill, 2026. Rather than focusing solely on administrative wording, discussions quickly turned to the practical strain currently placed on schools handling multiple tiers of learners under a single roof.
Clash Over the Comprehensive School Model
Under the current arrangement, primary and junior secondary sections operate inside the same comprehensive institution, sharing administration, funding, and a single Board of Management. Stakeholders argued that this setup creates administrative bottlenecks and resource allocation confusion, making it difficult to determine which section takes priority when budgets are tight.
Junior Secondary School representative Polycarp Mutugi argued that Grades 7 through 9 carry administrative demands entirely distinct from early-years education. He pressed for independent principals, deputy principals, and senior masters rather than relying on primary school head teachers to oversee the entire campus.
“Junior Schools have different needs from primary schools, and there is a need for a leadership structure that understands and responds to those needs.”
Polycarp Mutugi, Junior School representative
Murang’a Kuppet official Thomas Kimani backed the push, asserting that independent Boards of Management are necessary to properly handle infrastructure, staffing, and resource gaps stemming from the implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (reported the Kenya News Agency). Kimani emphasized that separate governance would eliminate administrative ambiguity regarding who answers for specific operational failures.
“The law should clearly separate the responsibilities of primary and Junior School management so that there is no confusion over who is responsible for what.”
Thomas Kimani, Murang’a Kuppet official
Division Among School Administrators
The reform proposals exposed a clear fault line between Junior Secondary School representatives and primary school leadership. While JSS advocates fought for administrative autonomy, Paul Mwaura, chairman of the Kenya Primary School Head Teachers Association Murang’a branch, opposed the shift and argued that the existing comprehensive model should remain intact. Mwaura also contested a separate proposal that would place the county commissioner in charge of the County Education Board, arguing that the leadership role should reflect the professional nature of the education sector.
This divide highlights a structural tension built into the country’s education transition: institutions designed for young children are now housing adolescents through Grade 9 without separate funding streams or specialized leadership.
Safety Enforcement and Higher Education Financing Concerns
Beyond structural changes for junior secondary grades, participants turned their attention to school safety and higher education funding. Kahuro Sub-County Education Quality Assurance and Standards Officer Dr Edna Gesare urged lawmakers to grant quality assurance officers direct authority to shut down dangerous facilities before accidents happen.
“Quality assurance officers should be able to intervene before unsafe conditions result in injuries or other harm.”
Dr Edna Gesare, Kahuro Sub-County Education Quality Assurance and Standards Officer
Stakeholders also voiced sharp opposition to provisions inside the Tertiary Education, Placement and Funding Bill, 2026. Participants rejected a proposed shift toward an all-loan financing model that would strip away supplementary scholarships for disadvantaged students (noted by the Kenya News Agency). They questioned a provision granting the Cabinet Secretary for Education the power to determine student loan interest rates, demanding explicit legal safeguards to protect graduates from crushing repayment obligations. Attendees flagged persistent government funding delays to universities as an ongoing threat to operational stability in higher education.