The Kenyan education sector is undergoing significant reforms with the proposed Basic Education Bill, 2026, which aims to transform school governance, financing, learner welfare, teacher management, quality assurance, and education data. However, stakeholders, including parents and education groups, are demanding changes to the bill. The reforms have been met with skepticism, with concerns that the changes may not address the underlying issues in the education system.
The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) is facing a projected funding shortfall of Sh6.71 billion in 2026/27, after a Sh2.58 billion gap in 2025/26. This has raised concerns about the council's ability to effectively manage national assessments and examinations. More than 3.6 million learners are expected to participate in this year's national assessments and examinations. The funding shortfall has sparked fears that the education system may not be adequately prepared for the reforms.
The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has demanded an agreement with KNEC clarifying payment rates and timelines for teachers involved in supervision, marking, and other examination duties. The dispute follows earlier delays in paying examination personnel, although the government later released Sh1.5 billion to clear outstanding 2025 marking allowances. The issue has highlighted the need for a more efficient payment system for teachers.
The proposed Basic Education Bill, 2026, aims to modernize basic education in Kenya. However, critics argue that reform is not merely changing paragraphs in legislation. A functioning education system requires teachers, infrastructure, learning materials, assessment systems, and predictable financing. Without these essential components, the reforms may not achieve their intended objectives.
The education system in Kenya has been described as a relay race in which everybody is running but nobody knows where the finish line is. Schools receive insufficient capitation, universities complain about funding, teachers negotiate payments, and examiners wait. Parents and students are also affected, with many improvising due to the challenges in the system. The situation has raised concerns about the effectiveness of the education system.
KNEC has been exploring paperless examinations, partly because printing, logistics, transportation, and security consume enormous resources. However, before Kenya enters the era of paperless examinations, it should first address the issue of delayed payments to teachers and examiners. Teachers cannot eat digital promises, and they cannot pay rent with artificial intelligence.
The real question is whether Kenya has learned that reform without resources is merely ambition wearing a government tie. The education system requires more than just policy changes; it needs adequate resources to function effectively. If the blackboard is cracked, the teacher is hungry, the examiner is unpaid, and the school is broke, what exactly are we reforming? The education system or the paperwork describing it?
Key points
- The proposed Basic Education Bill, 2026, aims to modernize basic education in Kenya.
- KNEC faces a projected funding shortfall of Sh6.71 billion in 2026/27.
- The education system requires adequate resources, including teachers, infrastructure, and predictable financing, to function effectively.
