- Magoha was sworn in on March 26, 2019, replacing Amina Mohammed.
- However, when lawmakers vetted him for the position of education Cabinet Secretary, they questioned his ‘mechanical’ approach.
Image: CHARLENE MALWA
Education CS George Magoha's tenure has been riddled by both criticism and praise in equal measure, due to his hands on approach.
However, with the change in government, it's uncertain if he will be retained as education CS.
The CS also previously said he has worked enough and needs to retire.
Magoha was sworn in on March 26, 2019, replacing Amina Mohammed.
However, when lawmakers vetted him for the position of education Cabinet Secretary, they questioned his ‘mechanical’ approach.
Three years later, Magoha has maintained his approach, which is notable in three areas in the education sector.
The areas are classroom construction, Competency Based Curriculum and 100 per cent 8-4-4 transition.
CLASSROOMS
Magoha said previously, classrooms were constructed at Sh1.2 million each.
“I hope that we don’t go back to basically stealing almost Sh500,000 from every classroom because you are stealing that money from a child,” he said.
The CS faulted some school heads and contractors for colluding to ‘eat’ almost Sh500,000 for every facility.
According to the Ministry of Education, 8,300 classrooms have been constructed across the country at Sh788,000 each.
This means the total budget is Sh6.5 billion at the subsidised price, which would have initially been Sh9.9 billion.
With the new cost of classroom construction, taxpayers have been saved Sh3.4 billion.
At the same time, construction of CBC classrooms has been limited to less than one month, for every structure.
HANDS ON
Since the onset of the construction, Magoha visits at least three schools daily.
Many have questioned why Magoha visits schools by himself, and not his junior officers.
He said from his training at Starehe Boys, they were taught never to trust anybody.
“Even when you delegate, you don’t delegate duties completely because you will lose control,” the CS said.
In the ministry, Magoha, PS Julius Jwan, PS Fatma Chege and PS Simon Nabukwesi conduct the monitoring of CBC classrooms construction.
They also commission classrooms in different places across the country.
Several subcounty directors submit names of schools where classrooms are ready to the CS, after which he schedules the visits.
However, most SCDEs have found themselves on Magoha's wrong side during the commissioning.
“I had to change the directors in Nairobi and I can see the new ones are doing well,” Magoha said in Nairobi School.
CBC HERE TO STAY
The CS took office two years after the roll out of the Competency Based Curriculum in the country.
In case he leaves office with the outgoing Uhuruto regime, he will have overseen four years of CBC implementation.
Despite criticisms from education stakeholders, politicians, teachers and even other students, he maintained his stand.
Magoha stressed that CBC is the future but constant politics surrounding it's implementation is scaring parents and other stakeholders.
“CBC is here to stay. And if in future you want to change it, you must give us a credible alternative,” he said.
Magoha said CBC will not be scrapped even after his tenure ends.
The CS while speaking during the release of KCSE exam results said the implementation of CBC is at the midwifery level.
“Who is this saying he will scrap CBC,” he said.
100 PER CENT TRANSITION
Magoha also strived to curb the number of students who complete primary school but don't get enrolled to Form 1.
He visited slums in Kiandutu, Kibra, Dandora and picked students who were still at home.
The students would be identified with the help of chiefs, sub chiefs and subcounty directors.
After being picked up by the CS, they would then be enrolled in the nearest secondary school, under the government scholarship.
In 2021, some 2,658 pupils registered to resit the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education.
Magoha said another 11,213 joined TVETs while 1,193 either moved away from their homes or are deceased.
ABRASIVE SIDE
During his four-year tenure, Magoha has rubbed shoulders with both the highs and the lows, including his junior officers.
A number of teachers, unionists and journalists have met the abrasive side of Magoha.
The first time Magoha went viral, he ordered a teacher in the Rift Valley region to collect dirt in his school creating a media frenzy.
Recently, he trended for allegedly profiling a female journalist dressed in a hijab.
On Tuesday, Magoha however apologised to the public for any of his jokes that may have been in bad taste.
He said he is a courageous man whose rise to the ministerial position was by God's grace but he is not perfect.
“There is no one who is perfect and I believe that for me to serve here it was by the grace of God.
"I respect everybody. The way you see me, the courage that I have comes from God and Starehe Boys Centre. We are eagles and we fly high and we are not afraid," the CS said.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)