Education cs Julius Ogamba make A presentation before the Senate Committee on education in Mombasa, September 26, 2025. /KNA
Education Cabinet Secretary, Julius Migos Ogamba, has called on university lecturers to obey court orders and resume teaching to pave way for ongoing negotiations with the government over their grievances.
Speaking in Mombasa after a meeting with the Senate Standing Committee on Education, Ogamba said the government is committed to addressing the lecturers’ strike that has disrupted learning in public universities for weeks.
“As government, we have demonstrated good faith by implementing part of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. I now urge lecturers to also show good faith and return to class to teach our learners, some of whom are new first-year students who have not attended any lessons since reporting,” Ogamba said.
The CS confirmed that the government had released Sh2.73 billion to settle pending dues owed to lecturers, funds that are already in their accounts.
He added that negotiations are ongoing to conclude the 2017–21 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and resolve the dispute.
Ogamba reminded lecturers that university employers had obtained court orders against the industrial action and urged them to comply while discussions continue.
He expressed appreciation for universities where teaching had already resumed.
“I thank those institutions where classes are already in progress and the lecturers who have returned to their duties. The government is doing everything possible to ensure a lasting solution to these strikes,” he said.
The Cabinet Secretary also pointed out that the Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions, Hospitals and Allied Workers (KUDHEIHA), which has 120,000 members, had already called off its strike and returned to work.
He appealed to the Kenya Universities Staff Union (Kusu) and the University’s Academic Staff Union (Uasu) to put learners first and follow suit while talks continues.
Separately, CS Ogamba addressed the incident at a Kilifi school where some donors allegedly conditioned food donations on children reciting prayers. He said the government had stopped the practice and investigations were underway.
“You do not give food donations in exchange for prayers. That is using food to influence the faith of children, which is unacceptable,” said Ogamba.
He added that the Ministry of Education is working with the Ministry of Interior to prevent similar incidents and that the government will strengthen the school feeding programme in Ganze to ensure learners receive proper support.
