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Stakeholders laud education reform Bills
A past Cabinet meeting at State House, Nairobi.
Education stakeholders have welcomed a major transformation of the country’s education sector following the Cabinet’s decision to forward seven key Bills to Parliament.
The proposed legislation marks a fundamental shift in the governance, placement, and funding of university and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (Tvet) students, aiming to end decades of bureaucratic duplication.
The reforms, set for parliamentary debate, are based on recommendations from the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform (PWPER) and seek to streamline operations across the Ministry of Education.
At the heart of the changes is the consolidation of the Higher Education Loans Board (Helb), the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS), the Universities Fund (UF), and the Tvet Funding Board into a single authority. This move is expected to create a “one-stop shop” for student placement, loans, scholarships, and career guidance, while also achieving significant savings by eliminating overlapping functions.
The Cabinet also approved the rebranding of the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) as the Kenya National Educational Assessments Council (KNEAC). Under the new framework, KNEAC will oversee national assessments, while curriculum development for Tvet will move to the Tvet Curriculum Development, Assessment, and Certification Authority (CDAAC).
KNEC Chief Executive Officer David Njengere welcomed the Bills, noting they would improve coordination across the ministry.
Education quality
“For KNEC, the Bill will anchor assessment reforms in law and provide a solid platform for transforming assessments to enhance education quality, equity, and inclusion,” he said.
Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) Director, Prof Charles Ong’ondo, welcomed the change but emphasised that teacher education curricula at college level should remain with KICD to maintain alignment with basic education. “The Institute will be happy to share experiences. We hope that development of curricula and programmes for teacher education at college level remains at KICD for consistency,” he said.
Prof Winston Akala, Principal of Koitaleel Samoei University College and a former PWPER member, described the Cabinet’s proposals as “spot-on” and aligned with the 2022 working party report. He said the consolidation of Helb, KUCCPS, and UF would create a seamless system for student placement and financing. “If implemented as proposed in the PWPER report, these reforms will streamline operations, enhance efficiency, and reduce government costs by eliminating overlapping functions,” he said.
On February 11, 2026, the Cabinet adopted the package of Bills, describing them as a comprehensive overhaul of Kenya’s education system. The reforms aim to align governance, curriculum, assessment, financing, teacher training, and qualifications with the Constitution and the Competency-Based Education and Training framework.
Student loans
At the tertiary level, the Tertiary Education Placement and Funding Bill, 2024, consolidates key institutions involved in student loans, scholarships, and placements into a single authority. The Kenya National Qualifications Framework (Amendment) Bill, 2024, clarifies the mandate of the Kenya National Qualifications Authority, ensuring national standards are set while accreditation and equivalence remain with sector regulators.
The Cabinet said the Bills would eliminate long-standing duplication, overlaps, and inefficiencies across the sector. Stakeholders have urged Parliament to pass the legislation swiftly to ensure a smooth transition to the new framework.
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