Ezekiel Machogu was dwarfed by towering predecessors

In the last two years, the outgoing Education Cabinet Secretary, Ezekiel Machogu, walked a tightrope.

While he implemented significant reforms and addressed some critical issues, many challenges remained unresolved, calling for stronger leadership and decisive action in Kenya’s education sector.

As his tenure unfolded, Machogu’s promises and actions often clashed, leaving a mixed legacy.

In a heated parliamentary vetting session, Machogu faced the scrutiny of a committee familiar with the towering legacies of his predecessors Prof George Magoha, Dr Fred Matiang’i, Dr Amina Mohammed and Prof Joseph Kaimenyi.

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Machogu pledged to tackle Kenya’s pressing education challenges with unwavering resolve.

“I am a manager. I have been tested, and I am a prolific administrator, which is exactly what this ministry needs to move to the next level,” Machogu told the vetting committee.

Machogu, previously a District Commissioner, made it clear that he would not tolerate impunity against government directives.

“Cartels at the Ministry of Education better pack up and leave,” he warned.

His first days in office saw the operationalization of the University Funding Board to address the capitation challenges plaguing public universities.

Machogu’s tenure saw a significant increase in teacher employment.

Out of a committed plan to employ 116,000 teachers within two years, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) employed 56,000 teachers beginning January 2023.

Machogu also institutionalized an internship program to make it cost-effective and facilitate the absorption of graduate teachers into employment.

Machogu endeavoured to implement recommendations from the Presidential Working Party.

But his tenure was also not without shortcomings. Critics argue that he often preached reform but failed to follow through, especially at the primary level.

In 2023, Machogu faced a storm over the credibility of the 2022 KCSE examination results. Education stakeholders were outraged over the stellar performances of previously unknown schools.

Machogu also grappled with challenges in junior secondary schools (JSS), including inadequate infrastructure, protesting teachers, delayed capitation fees, and indecisive communication from his officers.

Critics argued that he left many challenges to County Directors of Education without providing substantial support.