CBE on agenda as MPs hold retreat in Nakuru

National Assembly chamber in Nairobi. /PARLIAMENT

Members of the National Assembly have convened in Nakuru for a five-day legislative retreat, with the implementation of the Competency-Based Education system taking centre stage against the backdrop of a turbulent transition to Senior school.

The retreat comes at a critical moment for the education sector, as the Ministry of Education midwifes the movement of the pioneer Grade 10 class into Senior school.

A total of 1,130,459 learners who sat the inaugural Kenya Junior School Education Assessment are expected to enter the final phase of basic education under the new 2-6-3-3-3 structure, a process that has exposed deep systemic strains.

The transition has been riddled with hurdles, most notably an overwhelming outcry over learner placement.

More than 350,000 candidates applied to be placed in different schools, raising questions over capacity, equity and preparedness across the system.

The Ministry of Education has acknowledged that some schools, particularly C4 institutions formerly classified as subcounty schools, received negligible or no students at all and now face the prospect of closure as the government considers merging institutions with low enrolment.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the ministry is awaiting final reports from school principals before taking that step.

The reports are expected by the end of the week following an extension of the Grade 10 reporting deadline.

“Once we have the data we will be able now to make a decision where to move those students to and then deal with those schools that have no learners. A school that does not have Grade 10 also does not have Form 2, so we will work together with TSC to rationalise,” Ogamba said.

He said the rationalisation will also involve moving teachers from schools with a low demand for teachers to those with a high demand.

Speaking on Monday in Nairobi after attending a development partners’ roundtable dialogue on education financing, Ogamba said that as of Thursday, January 22, the transition stood at 92 per cent.

It is against this unsettled backdrop that lawmakers are retreating under the theme “Securing Parliamentary Legacy: Delivering the Fifth Session’s Agenda and Preparing for Transition.”

The forum brings together the Speaker, House leadership and all members of the National Assembly to review progress made during the first four sessions of the 13th Parliament and to align priorities as the House enters its final phase, with just over a year to the next general election.

Speaker Moses Wetang’ula said the retreat offers legislators a vital opportunity for reflection and recalibration.

“This retreat is both a moment of reflection and renewal. We must take stock of what we have achieved over the past four sessions and refine our legislative priorities,” he said.

Education will be a key focus area.

Ten years after its conceptualisation, lawmakers will interrogate the state of CBE implementation, including persistent infrastructure gaps and teacher–learner ratios, and consider legislative and policy interventions to stabilise and sustain the curriculum rollout.

“The Cabinet Secretary for Education last appeared in the plenary of the National Assembly on 5th November 2025 to provide the status of disbursement of capitation funds to schools, which had not received funding for the second and third term.

"Members will have an opportunity to assess the current status of CBE implementation and address its challenges, with a view to identifying policy and legislative interventions to strengthen the effective and sustainable delivery of the curriculum,” Wetang’ula said.

Beyond education, the retreat will also address electoral preparedness, health sector reforms under the Social Health Authority (SHA), political party financing, economic management and fiscal accountability.

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale will respond to concerns on service delivery under SHA and the administration of the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).

CS Duale is also expected to provide an update on the status of key health sector reforms being undertaken by the Ministry of Health and emerging challenges affecting access, quality, affordability and equity in healthcare services.

Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi is also expected to provide a briefing on the state of the economy and fiscal projections.

The discussion will focus on public debt management, pending bills and fiscal consolidation, with a view to ensuring that budgetary reforms in the 2026-27 budget reflect national priorities and sustainable growth.

“The National Assembly remains at the center of budget-making and fiscal accountability,” Speaker Wetang’ula said.

“This retreat will enable members to engage the Treasury on the economic outlook, clarify concerns from citizens and identify legislative interventions to strengthen Kenya’s economic resilience.”

Lawmakers are also expected to engage electoral officials on voter registration and boundary delimitation and scrutinise campaign financing regulations.

“As we enter the homestretch of the 13th Parliament, our focus must remain steadfast on the promise of servant leadership. This retreat is our moment of introspection,” Wetang’ula said.

The retreat is expected to culminate in a legislative and fiscal roadmap that aligns parliamentary action with national priorities, at a time when the success of flagship reforms such as CBE will depend as much on policy coherence and funding discipline as on political will.