NAIROBI,Kenya Aug 6 – The National Assembly’s Committee on Education has begun scrutinising a raft of proposed education reform Bills aimed at implementing recommendations of the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform, with lawmakers examining whether the proposed laws align with the existing legal framework and their potential financial implications.
The committee, chaired by Tinderet MP Julius Melly, met officials from the Ministry of Education led by Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba to consider four key pieces of legislation: the Tertiary Education Placement and Funding Bill, the Basic Education (Amendment) Bill, the Kenya National Educational Assessment Council (Amendment) Bill and the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (Amendment) Bill.
The proposed authority would manage all aspects of tertiary education financing, including student loans, scholarships and institutional funding, in a move the government says is intended to eliminate duplication, streamline funding and improve efficiency.
The Bill also proposes a unified funding model anchored on a means-testing system, under which students’ financial support would be determined by factors such as household income, financial need, special needs status, affirmative action considerations and the cost of the programme being pursued.
At the centre of the reforms is the proposed Tertiary Education Placement and Funding Bill, which seeks to merge the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), the Universities Fund and the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Funding Board into a single institution to be known as the Tertiary Education Funding Authority (TEFA).
Additionally, the legislation provides for education loans to minors admitted to tertiary institutions and establishes procedures for funding applications, loan disbursement, scholarship awards and loan recovery, including from beneficiaries living outside Kenya.
On student placement, the Bill proposes strengthening the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) as the national placement agency for all tertiary institutions while separating placement from funding decisions. Under the proposal, admission would be based strictly on merit, qualifications and programme choice, with financial aid processed independently.
The committee also reviewed proposed amendments to the Basic Education Act, which seek to formally recognise heads of institutions and clearly define their responsibilities as agents of the Principal Secretary for Basic Education in implementing government education policies and programmes.
Lawmakers further considered amendments to the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) Act, which propose abolishing the Academic Committee on the grounds that its functions overlap with those of the KICD Board. Instead, the Board would be empowered to establish committees and technical panels whenever necessary to execute its mandate.
The proposed amendments to the Kenya National Educational Assessment Council (KNEAC) Act also came under review. The changes seek to abolish the proposed National Examination Appeals Tribunal, with all examination-related disputes instead being handled by the existing Education Appeals Tribunal.
During the deliberations, members observed that the proposed legislative changes are intended to strengthen governance in the education sector, improve coordination among tertiary education institutions and create a more efficient, transparent and sustainable framework for student placement and financing.
The committee is expected to continue receiving submissions from stakeholders before compiling its report and tabling recommendations before the National Assembly.
