Knut says Ogamba is wrong choice for Education ministry

Education Cabinet Secretary Nominee Julius Ogamba Migos during 2022 Kisii Gubernatorial campaigns at Kegogi in Kisii County. [File, Standard]

Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has faulted the nomination of Julius Ogamba for the position of Education Cabinet Secretary (CS).

According to the union, President William Ruto made a mistake by not proposing an educationist for the position.

KNUT's second national vice chairman Aggrey Namisi said Ogamba was a professional lawyer with no background in running education affairs.

According to Namisi, the nominee should have been considered for the position of Attorney General (AG) instead of being elevated to the helm of the Education Ministry.

He said Ogamba would require months of learning and induction to deliver on his mandate.

Mr Ogamba was the running mate of former Education CS Ezekiel Machogu in the Kisii County gubernatorial contest during the last general election.

“We wanted a person who has been a classroom teacher and rose through the ranks. He must have been a person who understands the basics of education,” Namisi said at the 17th Annual General Meeting of Chepkoilel KNUT branch held in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County on Saturday.

He said teachers have doubted Ogamba’s ability to shepherd the transition to the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).

“We are asking the President to give us the right person to manage the education docket. We need someone who will complete the transition to CBC,” said Namisi.

He added: “We are only remaining with slightly over two years for the President to complete his first term. I thought he should have nominated people who will need no induction in order to competently run the Ministry of Education.”

According to Namisi, Kenyans expected the President to nominate individuals who would serve in various positions based on their skills.

He said the government could be forced to hire several advisors to help Ogamba run the education docket if his nomination is approved by the National Assembly.

“All our grade nine students will transit to senior school with three pathways in 2026. It requires a person who understands the model. The earlier we plan by hiring the right CS the better,” he said.

Chepkoilel KNUT branch executive secretary Sammy Bor said the President had several educationists who would be competent to run the Ministry of Education without much induction.

“We have expressed a reservation for the Education CS nominee. We want someone who is versed with matters of education.

“The country’s education is going through a transition and there is a need for a professional educationist to midwife this process.

“We have no problem with the nominee as an individual, but we are worried that it will take time for him to catch up,” Bor said.

The KNUT officials said teachers will go on strike if the government fails to enhance teachers’ salaries as per the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

“We have agreed with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) that the last batch of 2021-2025 CBA will be honored and teachers will enjoy enhanced salaries by the end of July. If they do not pay by the end of the month, we will have a serious industrial problem which will result in a nationwide strike,” Namisi warned.