The push to devolve education to counties has met sharp resistance from the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), which maintains that the proposal would erode the stability of the sector.
KUPPET Secretary General Akelo Misori, speaking on August 20, took issue with remarks made by Raila Odinga suggesting that county governments should manage the education sector. Misori argued that county administrations are already overwhelmed with health and ECD services, which remain underfunded and understaffed.
“It is evident that counties cannot handle additional responsibilities. ECD is crumbling—teachers are underpaid, facilities are lacking, and staffing is insufficient. If they are struggling with young learners, how will they manage secondary schools and colleges?” Misori asked.
The union said devolving education would subject teachers to political interference, especially from county assemblies. Instead, KUPPET is urging the government to strengthen the current centralized system through better funding, staffing, and promotional opportunities.
Among its proposals, KUPPET called for Junior Secondary Schools to remain under existing secondary institutions to maximize the use of infrastructure already in place. It also proposed reducing reliance on boarding schools by 2030, with a shift towards day schooling to ease financial burdens on families.
According to Misori, the broader vision should be to make public education free at all levels by scrapping bursaries and scholarships. Such a system, he argued, would eliminate frequent disputes between parents and school administrators over fees while ending battles with government officials about delayed capitation.
“Kenya needs a candid national conversation, not piecemeal constitutional changes,” Misori added.
The debate over devolving education is not new. Similar attempts in the past have been rejected by teacher unions, who insist the sector must remain a national function to ensure equity and prevent fragmentation.
