The swearing in of President William Ruto has shifted focus to the possible line up of Cabinet Secretaries in his government.
In the ministry of education, a number of names have come up for replacements for the position of the CS, currently held by Prof George Magoha, who has also been fronted to continue heading the ministry.
National Parents Association Chairman Nicholas Maiyo called on President William Ruto to retain Prof Magoha for his zeal.
Prof Magoha served as the Kenya National Examinations Council Chairman and was credited for curbing exam cheating which had remained a blot to the country’s education system.
He also served as a Vice Chancellor at the University of Nairobi.
Maiyo further argued that the education system is undergoing transition hence the need to have Prof Magoha around.
Dr Belio Kipsang,who once served as the PS Early Basic Education, has also been fronted for the position of CS.
Dr Kipsang served as a PS at a time when the country was transitioning into the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC).
Consequently,the President might prefer Dr Kipsang to take charge and streamline the sector, which consumes the highest allocation of the national cake.
Dr Kipsang previously worked as the Deputy Chief Officer and the Head of Operations at the Higher Education Loans Board.
Appointed as PS in 2013, Dr Kipsang was one of the very few PSs to be retained for the same position after the 2017 elections.
Considered as a sober PS,the President might want him as the PS Education, notably Early and Basic Education.
He was transferred in the same position as the Regional and Northern Corridor Development in February 2021.
Dr Kipsang holds a PHD degree in Education Administration and Planning from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, a masters of Arts Degree in Economics and a Bachelors (Honours) Degree in Education (Business and Economics) both from the University of Nairobi.
Teachers Service Commission Secretary/CEO Nancy Macharia is another possible contender for the position.
Ms Macharia is serving her second and last term at the Commission hence she has the opportunity to stand tall and be counted as a CS or PS. Though she has a wealth of experience in teachers’ issues, she has had run ins with teachers unions especially on the Teacher Professional Development (TPD) programmes.
Her appointment might also be an attempt to appease the Central Kenya voting bloc.
Former Kenya National Union of Teachers Secretary General and nominated MP Wilson Sossion has also been mentioned as a possible candidate.
However, his firebrand union politics put him at loggerheads with Education officials
Having him at the ministry, some fear, will see him settle scores with TSC and education officials who stepped on his toes.
During his tenure as the Minister for Higher Education Science and Technology, President William Ruto demonstrated his passion for technical training hence the possibility of the Ministry of Education being split into two with two Cabinet Secretaries in charge
If this is done, Ambassador Simon Nabukwesi, the PS in charge of State Department for University Education and Research is a possible contender, in an attempt to also appease the Western region as a voting bloc.
A holder of B.Ed., M. Ed. in Education Planning and Management and MA in International Project Management, Amb Nabukwesi emerged a critical cog in the ministry as Prof Magoha assigned him roles outside his docket.
Amb Nabukwesi started his career as a High School teacher where he served as Deputy Principal and Principal of various schools between 1989 and 2009.
He once served as Kenya’s High Commissioner to Canada and other positions before he was appointed as the PS in February 2020.
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