- During campaigns ahead of the August 9 election, Kipsang was among the top Uhuru-era PSs who would be seen openly supporting Ruto but was never fired.
Image: FILE
Belio Kipsang has made a comeback as Education Principal Secretary after retired President Uhuru Kenyatta removed him from the powerful position in February 2021.
On Wednesday, President William Ruto nominated the long-serving PS who is currently in charge of the Northern Corridor Development Department to be the accounting officer in the Basic Education docket.
Kipsang, survived Ruto’s radical overhaul of PSs, naming him to the influential Education ministry where he was in charge since 2013.
During campaigns ahead of the August 9 election, Kipsang was among the top Uhuru-era PSs who would be seen openly supporting Ruto but was never fired.
In February 2021, Kipsang was moved from the Ministry of Education to the Ministry of East African Community and Regional Development as the PS in charge of Regional and Northern Corridor Development.
His transfer was announced on Wednesday evening by the former Head of Public Service, Joseph Kinyua.
Uhuru elevated Vocational Training Principal Secretary Julius Jwan to replace Kipsang who had served for eight years since the Jubilee administration came into power.
Jwan previously served as the Director of the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development.
The changes came after reports emerged that the former CS for Education George Magoha was staring a crisis in schools with the commencement of the implementation of the Competence Based Curriculum.
Uhuru was keen to ensure a successful rollout of the CBC and had even unveiled a new state department for Implementation of Curriculum Reforms to oversee implementation.
Other reports claimed a frosty working relationship between Magoha and Kipsang over the running of the ministry led to the shake-up in government.
During his tenure at the Ministry of Education, Kipsang served under CSs, Jacob Kaimenyi, Fred Matiangi and Amina Mohammed.
Some of his achievements include the establishment of the National Education Management Information System, the gradual increase of capitation for learners in primary and secondary schools, waiver of examination fees, efficiency in administering national examinations and timely release of results as well as placement of learners.
He was also in office at the beginning of the free laptops for primary school children in public schools which collapsed.