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Sunday, 31 May 2026
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Kenyan press · Person

Julius Ogamba

Also known as: Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba · Mr Ogamba

Education Cabinet Secretary who dissolved Utumishi Girls Academy's board after a 2026 dormitory fire killed 16 students due to safety lapses.

2026-04-282026-05-31
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In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

  1. May 2026

  2. The Standard

    … Students are revealing hidden talents, aligning learning with personal interests, and shaping a generation defined by skills rather than grades.Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said there is a clear departure from the rigid, exam-driven culture of the past. …

    How CBE Learners are discovering hidden talents in CBE

  3. The Standard

    … Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the reforms are equipping learners with competencies needed to thrive in a fast-changing world. …

    CBE shift cultivates critical thinkers and innovators

  4. The Standard

    Audio By VocalizeEducation CS Julius Ogamba during the interview in his office, September 8, 2025. …

    CS Education must have full control of ministry

  5. The Standard

    Audio By VocalizeWhen Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba declares that his hands are tied in disciplining errant school principals over illegal fee hikes, it raises a troubling question: if the top authority cannot act, who will protect parents and learners from exploitati …

    Education CS has to take the lead against illegal fees
  6. April 2026

  7. The Standard

    … In a letter dated April 29, 2026, addressed to Central Region Director of Education Sabina Aroni, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba detailed findings from an assessment conducted by the Ministry’s Quality Assurance and Standards Directorate on April 28. …

    Alliance Girls board faces disbandment over inflated fees

  8. Capital News

    … Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba in a speech read by Dr. Inyangala said the historic milestone will support in shaping the future of youth to be sustainable in the job market. …

    Govt Launches Sh1bn Kabarnet University Project in Baringo
Society

Government dissolves Utumishi Girls Academy board after deadly dormitory fire

The News

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba dissolved the Board of Management of Utumishi Girls Academy following a dormitory fire that killed 16 students, citing serious safety lapses including congestion and a locked exit door. Two teachers and the principal are under disciplinary review for failing to act on warnings of planned unrest and failing to enforce safety compliance.

Why it matters

The government's dissolution of the school board signals official acknowledgment of serious negligence and marks a concrete response to the tragedy.

29 May 2026 · Capital News →

Friday 29 May

  1. Government dissolves Utumishi Girls Academy board after deadly dormitory fire

    Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba dissolved the Board of Management of Utumishi Girls Academy following a dormitory fire that killed 16 students, citing serious safety lapses including congestion and a locked exit door. Two teachers and the principal are under disciplinary review for failing to act on warnings of planned unrest and failing to enforce safety compliance.

    29 May 2026 · Capital News →

  2. Utumishi Girls board dissolved after deadly fire kills 16 learners

    The Ministry of Education has dissolved the Board of Management of Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, Nakuru County, following a deadly fire that claimed 16 learners' lives. The board was disbanded for failing to ensure compliance with the School Safety Manual and Basic Education Regulations, with safety lapses including dormitory overcrowding and a locked exit door.

    29 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →

  3. Murkomen attributes Utumishi inferno to negligence and arson

    Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen says the deadly fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil could have been caused by possible negligence by the administration. Eight students have been arrested as persons of interest in connection with the suspected arson attack, and preliminary investigations found that exit doors had been locked, preventing escapes.

    29 May 2026 · The Standard →

  4. Government dissolves school board after dormitory fire kills 16

    The government has dissolved the Board of Management of Utumishi Girls Academy following a dormitory fire that killed 16 students. The Education Cabinet Secretary has directed the Teachers Service Commission to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the principal and two teachers for failing to enforce safety standards and act on warnings about unrest.

    29 May 2026 · The Standard →

  5. Former senator criticizes government prayer breakfast during school fire tragedy

    Gloria Orwoba criticized the government for proceeding with the National Prayer Breakfast while a fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Nakuru County killed 16 learners and injured 79 others. She argued the event should have been cancelled in honour of the deceased and accused the government of failing to implement school safety measures despite previous tragedies.

    29 May 2026 · The Standard →

  6. Chief Justice calls for school safety review after Utumishi fire

    Chief Justice Martha Koome has urged a comprehensive review of school safety standards following a deadly fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil that killed 16 people. The Education Cabinet Secretary said the school failed to comply with safety regulations, including overcrowding and a locked exit door.

    29 May 2026 · The Standard →

Thursday 28 May

  1. DCP calls for Murkomen resignation over Utumishi Academy fire

    Democracy for the Citizens Party has demanded the resignation of Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen following a dormitory fire at Utumishi Academy Senior School in Gilgil that killed 16 students, citing failures in emergency response and questioning disaster preparedness in schools.

    28 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →

  2. Government to review school safety manual compliance after academy fire

    The Education and Interior Cabinet Secretaries said the government will review compliance with the school safety manual as investigations into a deadly dormitory fire at Utumishi Academy Senior School in Gilgil, Nakuru County continue. The officials said investigators are yet to establish the cause of the blaze.

    28 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →

Monday 25 May

  1. Education conference endorses unified governance for comprehensive schools

    Kenya's Ministry of Education–convened national conference has endorsed reforms creating Comprehensive Schools that bring Primary and Junior School levels under a single Board of Management, Head of Institution, and unified administration, aimed at streamlining administration and enhancing Competency-Based Education implementation.

    25 May 2026 · Capital News →

Sunday 10 May

  1. Kenya hosts qualifications conference to transform education and employment

    Kenya will host a National Qualifications Conference in Nairobi on May 12–14, 2026, bringing together policymakers, regulators, employers, academics, and development partners to reimagine how qualifications are defined and linked to employment. The event, organised by the Kenya National Qualifications Authority, reflects on over a decade of the Kenya National Qualifications Framework and aims to make the qualifications system more responsive to labour market needs.

    10 May 2026 · The Standard →

Tuesday 5 May

  1. Kenya's first CBE cohort discovering talents in senior school

    Four months into senior school, Kenya's first cohort of Competency-Based Education learners is revealing hidden talents and aligning learning with personal interests, demonstrating the impact of the country's education reforms. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the transition marks a departure from exam-driven culture and is preparing learners for a world defined by technological and economic change.

    5 May 2026 · The Standard →

  2. Kenya's Competency-Based Education shift emphasises practical skills

    Kenya is transitioning to Competency-Based Education, which emphasises critical thinking, creativity and practical skills over rote memorisation, according to Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba. The approach places learners at the centre of education with focus on practical application of knowledge, as demonstrated at the 3rd Annual Educational Assessment Symposium hosted by KNEC.

    5 May 2026 · The Standard →

Monday 4 May

  1. Cabinet Secretary education lacks power to punish errant principals

    An editorial argues that Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba's admission that he cannot punish school principals who arbitrarily increase fees reveals a governance failure that has weakened ministerial authority. The piece contends that the education sector requires a CS with full command of his ministry, not a ceremonial figurehead, and points to systemic failures including crumbling infrastructure, understaffing, and examination cartels.

    4 May 2026 · The Standard →

Sunday 3 May

  1. Education CS must lead crackdown on illegal school fees

    An editorial argues that Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba cannot claim powerlessness in disciplining school principals who impose illegal fees, and that the ministry's fragmented governance structure enables "rogue" school heads to exploit loopholes while accountability stalls between bureaucratic caution and political interference.

    3 May 2026 · The Standard →

Thursday 30 April

  1. Government moves to disband Alliance Girls board over inflated fees

    The government has moved to disband the Board of Management at Alliance Girls High School following an investigation that uncovered inflated fees, questionable expenditures, and governance failures. The board approved a 2026 fee structure of Sh120,179, more than double the government-approved Sh53,554, with non-essential expenses including Sh16 million for annual trips and Sh13 million for prize-giving ceremonies.

    30 April 2026 · The Standard →

Tuesday 28 April

  1. Government launches Sh1bn Kabarnet University project in Baringo

    The National government has begun construction of the first public university in Baringo at Kabarnet, with a Sh1 billion project to be undertaken by a Chinese company in collaboration with Kenya Defence Forces. The first phase of academic infrastructure is expected to be completed in one and half years, with phase two to follow in subsequent financial years.

    28 April 2026 · Capital News →

Julius Ogamba — Kenyan press coverage · Kenya Minute