The cheers, screams, and shouts by the children in Nyakichiwa Primary School in Bomet, describing the joy of having newly equipped classrooms as well as free lunch, all courtesy of a philanthropist commonly referred to as Mr. Beast, bring my attention to the Draft 2026 Budget Policy Statement (BPS) that has recently undergone public participation. As the BPS heads to the National Assembly for review and approval, questions linger about the significant reductions in allocations for key Education programmes in the Financial Year 2025/2026.   

I recently visited an Arid and Semi-Arid Land (ASAL) county and spoke with a teacher from a day secondary school. What I experienced will forever be ingrained in my memory. I wondered how and why the only secondary school in a sub-county would have a dismal performance with a mean score below 3 in the national examinations, while similar day schools performed well in the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination.

While some attempted to downplay the danger of using state security agencies to muzzle the Butere High School play recently, most recognised the threat it posed to our academic and artistic freedoms. This very issue continues to play out very dramatically in the United States, a country with a long history of academic freedom, in ways we can admire and emulate.

Kenyan schools reopened on 13th May 2024 following a two-week postponement due to devastating floods that rocked the country. As flood waters recede and children report back to school, we must not only focus on reconstructing physical facilities but also rebuild the shattered lives of the children affected.

In response to Kenya’s economic challenges, the Government has initiated a series of tax measures to rejuvenate the nation’s financial health and drive economic growth. One such proposal, drawing intense scrutiny, is imposing taxes on extracurricular activities within schools. While the objective is to address disparities in access to these activities, the potential impact on holistic learner development has sparked heated debates. In the context of CBC, where emphasis is on practical learning, the classification of extra-curricular activities as mere luxuries threatens to undermine the broader educational goals. It is envisaged that rather than burden an already highly taxed parent, many middle and lower-income schools, will do away with the extra activities.

With the 49-member Presidential Working Party on Education Reform completing its public consultations this month, it is time to look at the state of disability rights in our schools and places of learning.