Jubilee Party Deputy Leader Fred Matiang’i has called for a national dialogue on the state of education in Kenya, warning that rising cases of student unrest in secondary schools point to a deeper crisis that requires urgent intervention.
Speaking in Meru County during a church service, the former Education Cabinet Secretary urged President William Ruto and opposition leaders to put aside political differences and work together to address challenges facing the education sector.
Matiang’i said the increasing number of school disruptions and temporary closures reported across the country should serve as a wake-up call for leaders to engage in meaningful discussions aimed at finding long-term solutions.
According to the former CS, the country is facing an education crisis that cannot be solved through political blame games. Instead, he argued that all stakeholders, including the government, opposition leaders, education experts, parents and school administrators, should come together and chart a way forward.
He maintained that the situation requires an honest assessment of the challenges affecting schools and institutions of learning, noting that continued unrest among students signals underlying issues that need to be addressed urgently.
Matiang’i specifically pointed to the growing number of school fire incidents and student disturbances, saying they should form part of a broader national conversation on the future of education in Kenya.
The former Cabinet Secretary criticized what he termed poor management of the sector and challenged leaders to focus on solutions rather than political confrontations.
His remarks were echoed by Party of National Unity (PNU) leader Peter Munya, who also supported calls for an all-inclusive engagement on education matters.
Munya argued that although funding allocated to the education sector has continued to increase over the years, the resources reaching schools, universities and other learning institutions remain inadequate compared to the growing demands within the sector.
The two leaders expressed concern that failure to address emerging challenges could worsen the situation and negatively affect learners across the country.
Matiang’i emphasized that the welfare of students should remain a national priority and urged leaders to treat the matter with the seriousness it deserves.
Beyond education, the two leaders also voiced opposition to the government’s proposal to securitize the housing levy as part of efforts to bridge a budget shortfall in the affordable housing programme.
However, it was the state of education that dominated their message, with both leaders insisting that immediate action is needed to restore confidence in the sector.
As cases of student unrest continue to attract national attention, the calls for dialogue are likely to add pressure on policymakers to find lasting solutions to challenges affecting schools and institutions of learning across the country.
