NAIROBI, Kenya, May 25- A national education conference convened by the Ministry of Education has endorsed sweeping reforms in the management of schools, including the establishment of Comprehensive Schools bringing together Primary and Junior School levels under a single administration structure.
The resolutions were adopted during the National Conference on Education held at Lake Naivasha Resort from May 7 to 9, 2026, bringing together key stakeholders across the education sector.
The conference, officially opened by President William Ruto, focused on the theme: “Driving Effective Education Reforms through Leadership, Accountability and Collaboration.”
According to the resolutions released by the Ministry of Education, participants agreed that Comprehensive Schools will operate under a unified governance structure comprising one Board of Management (BoM), one Head of Institution (HoI), and two deputy headteachers responsible for the Primary and Junior School sections respectively.
“The Comprehensive School shall operate under the leadership of a qualified Head of Institution and a single Board of Management,” the conference resolved.
The reforms are aimed at streamlining administration, improving coordination, and enhancing the implementation of the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system.
The conference further resolved that Comprehensive Schools would fall under a newly proposed Directorate of Comprehensive School Education.
Education stakeholders also backed the harmonisation of school fees and capitation structures within Comprehensive Schools under a unified framework to promote efficiency, equity, and effective institutional management.
In another major proposal, the conference recommended the adoption of standardized school uniforms across all levels of education, including Comprehensive and Senior Schools, while allowing institutions to retain identity through distinct badges.
Participants additionally proposed regulation and capping of uniform costs to ease the financial burden on parents and guardians.
On teacher management, the conference resolved that teacher training should be aligned not only to current staffing demands but also long-term national development priorities.
Stakeholders also called for equitable distribution of teachers across the country and recommended replacing the term “delocalization” with “nationalization” in teacher deployment and placement policies.
The conference further proposed that teachers currently serving as interns be redesignated as “teachers on contract” and be absorbed into permanent and pensionable terms after successfully completing their two-year contracts.
On education financing, delegates backed the creation of a consolidated national bursary and scholarship framework covering Basic Education, TVET, and University Education.
The funds would be managed through the Kenya Education Management Information System (KEMIS) to improve transparency, accountability, and equitable access.
Participants also called for annual institutionalization of the National Conference on Education to provide a continuous platform for stakeholder engagement and policy review.
The resolutions were signed by Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok, and TVET Principal Secretary Esther Muoria.Amb. (Prof) Julius Bitok, and Dr. Beatrice Inyangala, Principal Secretary State Department for Higher Education and Research.
