Dr. Matiang’i’s Legacy in Education
No one would have thought sanity would prevail in the Education Sector until Dr. Fred Okeng’o Matiang’i landed at the Ministry Of Education. This was a workaholic who had the best interests for the education of young Kenyans at heart.
He introduced sweeping changes in the sector. When he told members of the fourth estate some time back after taking office that in 2016 there would be no national examination malpractices, we thought he was bluffing.
K.C.P.E. and K.C.S.E. candidates sat for their assessments and save for an incident at the Coast, everything went on orderly. Those who were found culpable of abetting in irregularities were apprehended and arraigned in court. That’s how you knew the Cabinet Secretary meant business.
Together with the Late Prof George Magoha, the former chair of K.N.E.C. and Mrs. Lydia Nzomo , former Chairperson of T.S.C., they supervised the logistics of the examinations as they were being undertaken at various examination centers countrywide. Even his Principal Secretary Prof Belio Kipsang was also part of the supervision team. They were not going to leave anything to chance in the administration of the tests.
Attempts at contravening the set-out rules and regulations found some examination officers in trouble. These strict adherence to the code of conduct stipulated for all stakeholders involved in the examination process were in practice for the whole of the exam period.
Matiangi introduced an array of stringent regulations that were meant to close all loopholes that encouraged the rot of national examination malpractices that had rocked the country in the past years. Though they were met with resistance by various stakeholders in the education sector.
There was restlessness among students that saw a wave of arson attacks in over 100 secondary schools countrywide that saw properties worth billions go up in flames namely dormitories and students’ valuables. News-mongers and pundits claimed that it was exam cartels that were sending a message to the Ministry that they were uncomfortable with the frustration of their trade. Despite all these happenings, former CS Matiang’i remained unbowed. He continued to warn that no form of cheating would go unpunished. Those attempting to call his bluff ended up in handcuffs. It is commendable that the Cabinet Secretary was sanitizing the rot that had rocked our education system.
He didn’t stop there though. He worked round the clock to unravel the nightmare that was our high education; higher learning in Kenya had been relegated to a laughing stock. An item of global ridicule.
Over-commercialization of the academy had frustrated the quality of knowledge and research in these institutions. Matiang’i launched a crackdown on Universities that had opened satellite campuses that didn’t meet CUE standards of best practice. Accreditation of degree courses also became an important item.
The issue of lecturers tutoring without the requisite qualifications was put on the spotlight. Universities offering coursework without the standard infrastructure were also not being spared. The thorny issue of students’ unrest that had poisoned the tranquil atmosphere for learning was being discussed and deliberated on.
All said and done, Dr. Matiang’i would go down in history as one of the best Kenyan Ministers of Education. He had performed better than all his predecessors in the docket. As the two terms of the Jubilee Administration drew to an end in August 2022, former President Kenyatta would look back and pat Dr. Okeng’o on the back for a job well done.
Despite the election pledge of Class 1 Laptops for digital learning being frustrated in the earlier days of their reign, when the program started rolling out, Dr. Matiang’i had been at the forefront ensuring the tablets were being delivered and the children were benefiting maximally from the program. It was under Matiangi’s tenure that the teachers’ salaries debacle was solved. After 18 years of court battles and strikes that paralyzed the education sector, a remuneration package was agreed upon that would be paid out in stretches. Primary and Secondary Schools were now connected to the electricity grid. Institutions were being awarded with title deeds.
This man was doing a commendable job
