Teachers’ Unions Reject Raila’s Push to Devolve Education
Kenya’s education sector has been thrown into fresh debate following former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s proposal to devolve primary and secondary education to county governments. While Odinga argued that moving education functions closer to the people would enhance accountability and efficiency, the country’s two largest teachers’ unions,Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) have strongly rejected the idea.
According to union leaders, counties have already proven incapable of managing the functions devolved to them, particularly Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE), which was handed over during the implementation of the 2010 Constitution. Kuppet Secretary General Akelo Misori noted that despite nearly a decade under county control, ECDE remains plagued by underfunding, poor infrastructure, and inconsistent policies across counties. He stressed that if counties cannot manage the foundational stage of education, they should not be entrusted with the more complex responsibilities of primary and secondary schools.
KNUT echoed this sentiment, with Secretary General Collins Oyuu cautioning that devolving education risks plunging the sector into disarray. Oyuu argued that the inconsistency in ECDE management across counties offers a cautionary tale, warning that decentralizing further would erode the gains made nationally. “If counties have failed in handling ECDE, how then can they shoulder the weight of primary and secondary education?” he posed, emphasizing that a fragmented education system would ultimately harm learners.
The unions further highlighted that Kenya is in the middle of major national reforms, including the roll-out of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC). They expressed concern that devolving education at such a critical time would disrupt progress and destabilize the sector. CBC implementation, already expensive and uneven, requires centralized coordination and resource allocations, they argue, are ill-prepared to handle.
On his part, Raila Odinga defended the proposal, stating that the current centralized structure often creates inefficiency and bureaucracy. He questioned why the Education Cabinet Secretary has to travel to far-flung counties to inspect schools when such responsibilities could be handled locally. Odinga believes that devolving education would not only reduce duplication but also bring services closer to citizens, aligning with the spirit of devolution under the Constitution.
Despite his defense, opposition from KNUT and Kuppet underscores a deep mistrust of county governments’ capacity to manage education. Critics fear that political interference, mismanagement, and unequal resource distribution at the county level would widen disparities between regions, undermining Kenya’s constitutional promise of equal access to quality education for all children.
This debate strikes at the heart of Kenya’s governance model: balancing the principles of devolution with the need to maintain consistent national standards in critical sectors like education. For teachers’ unions, the stakes are simply too high to risk experimenting with the future of learners. For Odinga and his supporters, however, devolving education represents a logical next step in strengthening counties and empowering local communities.
As the conversation unfolds, one thing remains clear: the future of Kenya’s education system is once again at a crossroads. Whether it stays centralized or is handed over to counties, the ultimate test will be whether reforms deliver equitable, quality education that meets the needs of millions of Kenyan children.
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