NAIROBI,Kenya, May 25- A National Education Conference convened by Kenya’s Ministry of Education has endorsed sweeping reforms, including the adoption of standardised school uniforms across the country and the redesignation of teacher interns as “teachers on contract.”
The three-day conference, held at Lake Naivasha Resort from May 7 to 9, brought together key education stakeholders, among them officials from the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), Members of Parliament, teachers’ unions, university and TVET educators, religious leaders, and development partners.
The forum, officially opened by President William Samoei Ruto, focused on strengthening education reforms under the theme: “Driving Effective Education Reforms through Leadership, Accountability and Collaboration.”
Among the major resolutions adopted was a proposal to introduce standardised school uniforms in all learning institutions, including comprehensive and senior schools, in a move aimed at promoting affordability, equity, and national uniformity.
However, schools will still be allowed to preserve their unique identity through distinct badges attached to the uniforms.
“The country should adopt standardized school uniforms across all levels of education… Schools shall, however, be permitted to maintain distinct identity through specific uniform badges,” the conference resolved.
Delegates further proposed the regulation and capping of school uniform costs to ease the financial burden on parents and guardians amid rising education expenses.
The conference also endorsed significant changes in teacher management, resolving that the term “teacher interns” be replaced with “teachers on contract.”
Participants further recommended that teachers serving under contractual terms be absorbed into permanent and pensionable employment after successfully completing their two-year contracts.
The move is expected to address long-standing concerns raised by intern teachers over job security and career progression.
On school governance, the conference reaffirmed support for the establishment of Comprehensive Schools bringing together primary and junior school levels under one administration.
Under the proposed structure, each comprehensive school will be headed by a qualified Head of Institution supported by a single Board of Management and two deputy headteachers overseeing the primary and junior school sections respectively.
The conference also backed the harmonisation of capitation and school fee structures within comprehensive schools under a unified framework to improve efficiency and equity in management.
In teacher deployment, delegates resolved that staffing across the country should be distributed equitably to address regional disparities in access to quality education.
The conference additionally recommended replacing the term “delocalisation” with “nationalisation” in reference to teacher deployment and placement policies.
Stakeholders also adopted resolutions aimed at strengthening mental health and wellness programmes in schools, including the appointment of at least two counsellors in every county to support learners, teachers, and education officers.
Other resolutions touched on the consolidation of bursary and scholarship schemes under a digital KEMIS platform, enhanced sensitisation on the university funding model, and increased promotion of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
The conference further resolved that the National Conference on Education be institutionalised as an annual event to provide a continuous platform for policy dialogue and review of reforms in the education sector.
