MPs disagree on creation of new department at Education ministry

Members of Parliament have questioned the creation of a new department to spearhead curriculum reforms under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) terming it as unnecessary.

In a heated debate in the House, a section of the MPs opposed the appointment of Prof Fatuma Chege as the new Principal Secretary for state department for the implementation of curriculum reforms in the Ministry of Education.

This is despite the House committee on education and research chaired by Busia Women Rep Florence Mutua tabling a report in parliament and recommended her appointment.

“The committee recommends that this house approves the nomination of Prof Fatuma Chege, PhD, for the appointment of the position of Principal Secretary for state department for the implementation of curriculum reforms in the Ministry of Education,” read the report.

Uriri MP Mark Nyamita opposed the appointment saying that within the Ministry of Education is the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) which is a fully-fledged institution and deals with curriculum reforms.

“The current PS in the state department of basic education Dr Julius Jwan came from KICD and is already skilled. With that, I am sure issues of curriculum development can be handled by that department,” he said.

The current Education Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Dr Sarah Ruto was also a former chair at the KICD before her appointment.

Mr  Nyamita said the President should instead consider reorganizing the Ministry of Education instead of creating a new department. “This appointment is misplaced and we need to reject it in total,” he said.

Suba East MP Junet Mohamed said he does not see the need for an additional state department to do a specific duty which can be done by the existing state department.

Mr Mohamed said currently, the Ministry of Education has a dysfunctional state department in charge of post-training and skills development headed by PS Alfred Cheruiyot.

“That man called Cheruiyot is doing nothing, why can’t that job be given to him because honestly he is idle,” he posed. He further said that PS Cheruiyot is already earning a salary as a civil servant and appointing a new person will inflate the country’s wage bill.

“I don’t want to say I am supporting her, let us reject something for the first time,” said Mr Mohamed. Minority leader John Mbadi noted that it is unnecessary to have another PS in the Ministry of Education.

“We cannot always complain as a nation that we have bloated wage bill and as a House we keep on approving more appointments and creation of positions without even raising a finger. Our role as an oversight institution is that if we have agreed the government is heavy, then we cannot continue allowing creation of more positions in government,” said Mr Mbadi.

The further said that Prof Chege already has a job and does not need a new job.

“The Ministry of Education already has so many PSs, Why are adding more?  If we approve her, this means the ministry is going to have five PSs. It is unnecessary, it is a waste of public resources and so I oppose this motion,” he continued.

He said the executive only needs to realign the functions to other existing departments.

Mr Mbadi said he is not opposing the appointment of Prof Chege, but the creation of a new principal secretary position in the ministry of Education.

However, some MPs supported her appointment but faulted the implementation of the new curriculum in the country.

Garissa MP Aden Duale said the whole new curriculum system is in itself faulty.

“This system is faulty, some schools do not have classrooms, electricity and teachers, I support Prof Chege, but the issue here, is the new system that is not working,” he said.

Kilifi North MP Baya Owen Yaa supported her appointment and said her work speaks for itself.

“Prof Chege is one of the very well-known knowledgeable educationists in this country. I know she is a practitioner in the education sector having taught from the lowest level to the university” said Mr Yaa.

Nyeri Town MP Wambugu Ngunjiri, said the transition of curriculum is affecting millions of children and therefore the new department is necessary.

Mvita MP Nassir Sherrif said the element of appointment of Prof Chege should not be the issue but the creation of the new department.

Majority leader Amos Kimunya moved a motion to postpone the debate saying the House needs to interrogate the issues further.

National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi adjoined the debate to resume at a later date.

“In my opinion, the motion is proper and not an abuse of the process of the House and therefore I grant the request without question, the debate will resume on another date when the House resumes,” Muturi ruled.

President Uhuru Kenyatta created the new department and appointed Prof Chege to spearhead the implementation of the new curriculum in the country.

Currently the implementation of the curriculum is at Grade Four. Grade Five is set to be rolled out in July when third term is set to start.

Before her appointment Prof Chege, chaired the CBC taskforce committee and was the deputy vice chancellor in charge of administration at the Kenyatta University.