Kenya Minute.
Tuesday, 13 October 2026
Kenya’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Tuesday, 13 October 2026
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Kenyan press · Person

Julius Ogamba

Also known as: Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba · Mr Ogamba · Education CS Julius Ogamba · Education Minister Julius Ogamba · Dr. Julius Ogamba · Cabinet Secretary for Education Julius Ogamba · Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba

Julius Ogamba — Education Cabinet Secretary managing university funding reforms, teacher recruitment, and examination oversight amid ongoing lecturer strikes.

2026-04-282026-10-13

In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

  1. June 2026
  2. Ruto urges students to reject violence and embrace discipline

    1. The Standard

      Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has warned school principals against sacrificing learners' talents and holistic development in pursuit of academic excellence. …

      Ogamba to principals: Let students participate in co-curricular activities
    2. Capital News

      … Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the government will bring together teachers, parents and other education stakeholders to find lasting solutions to rising cases of unrest in schools. …

      ‘Every choice has consequences,’ Ruto warns students
  3. The Standard

    … Subscribe to our newsletterEducation Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the government was working on a long-term solution to recurring school unrest through a multi-sectoral approach involving all education stakeholders."We have agreed that we are going to form a multi-stakeho …

    Ruto calls on parents to reclaim their role in raising disciplined children
  4. Capital News

    … Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba earlier disclosed that preliminary investigations had revealed several safety failures at the school, including overcrowding and locked emergency exits. …

    Eight Utumishi Girls Students to Be Charged Over Deadly School Fire
  5. Capital News

    … Education Minister Julius Ogamba said preliminary findings indicated that there had been multiple breaches of safety measures at Utumishi Girls’ School, including overcrowding in dormitories and a locked exit door. …

    Kenya to charge students with murder over deadly school fire
  6. The Standard

    … The May 28 fire incident is one of the deadliest in recent times with Kenyans calling for a review of safety measures put in place in boarding schools.After the incident, the board of the school was dissolved by Education CS Julius Ogamba who also announced that three teachers in …

    DPP approves murder charges in Utumishi girls inferno
  7. Citizen Digital

    … Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko on Thursday announced that Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba had assured affected students and their families that the ministry had put in place measures to facilitate online learning during their recovery period. …

    Hospitalised Utumishi Girls Academy learners to resume studies via online classes
  8. Citizen Digital

    … Speaking through Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba during the International Albinism Awareness Day celebrations in Thika, the President called on Kenyans to embrace diversity and reject all forms of discrimination. …

    Ruto: Human worth isn’t defined by disability, reaffirms PWD commitment
  9. Citizen Digital

    … Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba on Thursday announced an urgent, targeted safety audit of at-risk boarding schools following the wave of unrest and school fires that has affected 204 institutions nationwide.​Ogamba attributed the incidents to leadership failures, examin …

    Blame parents for school unrest, not teachers - KNUT boss Oyuu
  10. The Standard

    … Supporters of this view argue that values such as respect, accountability and self-control are primarily instilled at home, with schools only reinforcing those principles.Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has also expressed concern over the unrest, warning that destructio …

    Parents under scrutiny as school unrest crisis deepens
Society

University lecturers reject government pay offer, strike continues

The News

Three academic unions rejected the government's salary proposal for the 2025-2029 collective bargaining agreement on October 12, with negotiations collapsing for the second time in a week. The unions say lecturers will not return to work until the agreement is negotiated, signed and implemented, prolonging a strike that affects thousands of public university students.

12 October 2026 · The Standard →

Yesterday

  1. University lecturers reject government pay offer, strike continues

    Three academic unions rejected the government's salary proposal for the 2025-2029 collective bargaining agreement on October 12, with negotiations collapsing for the second time in a week. The unions say lecturers will not return to work until the agreement is negotiated, signed and implemented, prolonging a strike that affects thousands of public university students.

    12 October 2026 · The Standard →

Friday 9 October

  1. Government funds recruitment of 20,000 JSS teachers

    Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba told the Senate that the National Treasury has provided funding for the recruitment of 20,000 teachers for Junior Secondary Schools on permanent and pensionable terms, effective January 1, 2027.

    9 October 2026 · The Standard →

Thursday 8 October

  1. Education ministry lacks centralised system for teen pregnancy data

    Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba told the Senate that his ministry lacks a comprehensive framework and information management system to collect data on learner pregnancies and perpetrators, noting that school heads sometimes hesitate to report cases out of fear for institutional reputation. The available data comes mainly from health sector surveys, which recorded 110,821 cases among adolescents aged 10 to 19 in the first five months of 2023.

    8 October 2026 · The Standard →

Wednesday 7 October

  1. Government launches CBA negotiations as university lecturers strike continues

    The government has opened negotiations with university lecturers' unions over the 2025-29 Collective Bargaining Agreement, with a conciliator appointed by the Ministry of Labour leading talks involving UASU, KUSU, and other unions as the strike enters its third day.

    7 October 2026 · The Standard →

Tuesday 6 October

  1. KICD distributes Grade 11 textbooks for 2027 senior school transition

    The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development has begun distributing Grade 11 textbooks and literary works to schools ahead of the first cohort of Competency-Based Education learners advancing to Senior School in January 2027. The distribution, which started October 6 and will continue until December 23 with a break during national examinations, aims to give schools time to prepare materials before learners report.

    6 October 2026 · Capital News →

  2. KNEC deploys 342,005 professionals for 3.6 million exam candidates

    The Kenya National Examinations Council will conduct national examinations and assessments for 3,634,846 candidates between October 16 and November 20, 2026, representing a 6.13 per cent increase from 2025. The 2026 exercise covers KCSE, KPSEA, and KJSEA, with KCSE candidate numbers crossing one million for the first time.

    6 October 2026 · Capital News →

Monday 5 October

  1. Ruto directs review of school capitation unchanged since 2015

    President William Ruto has directed the Ministry of Education to review government capitation for public schools, noting that secondary and Junior Secondary School funding rates have remained at Ksh22,000 and Ksh14,000 respectively since 2015 and no longer meet operational needs. The review should also consider primary education allocations of Ksh2,300 and will begin once the tertiary education placement exercise concludes.

    5 October 2026 · Capital News →

  2. Education Cabinet Secretary urges university lecturers to resume work

    Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has called on university lecturers to return to work, stating that the government has fully cleared all salary arrears from the 2017–2021 and 2021–2025 Collective Bargaining Agreements and is committed to resolving outstanding issues through dialogue on future agreements including the 2025–2029 CBA.

    5 October 2026 · The Standard →

  3. Ogamba warns of zero tolerance for exam cheating in 2026

    Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has warned candidates, teachers and examination officials that there will be "no mercy" for anyone caught cheating as 3.63 million candidates begin the 2026 national examinations and assessments. He said the government would punish anyone who leaks examination papers, colludes with candidates or interferes with the examination process.

    5 October 2026 · The Standard →

  4. Leaders honour teachers' role in building Kenya's future

    During 2026 World Teachers' Day celebrations, President William Ruto paid tribute to teachers for their sacrifice and contribution to the nation, describing them as shapers of the professionals, leaders and citizens who drive Kenya's development, and noting that teachers care for an entire generation.

    5 October 2026 · The Standard →

Friday 18 September

  1. Government pursues tertiary education financing reform bill

    Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the government is working to expand tertiary education access through a proposed Tertiary Education Placement and Funding Bill awaiting parliamentary approval, aiming to ensure financial constraints do not prevent eligible students from pursuing higher education at universities, technical and vocational institutions, and other tertiary establishments.

    18 September 2026 · The Standard →

Friday 11 September

  1. Gusii education plan shifts focus from grades to skills

    The government is pushing a new education transformation agenda in the Gusii region that will shift focus from examination grades to skills, teacher preparedness, learner welfare, digital literacy and employability. The plan, unveiled at Kisii University, seeks to bring together national and county governments, schools, universities, TVET institutions, industry, communities and parents to address weaknesses in the education system in Kisii and Nyamira counties.

    11 September 2026 · The Standard →

Sunday 6 September

  1. Ogamba commits to addressing teachers' pay and grievances

    Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba pledged to work with the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) to resolve long-standing grievances over pay, promotions, housing allowances, medical cover and working conditions to avert industrial action. Ogamba said he would initiate a Cabinet paper seeking to compress the collective bargaining agreement phases into two years beginning with the 2028/29 financial year.

    6 September 2026 · The Standard →

Friday 4 September

  1. Forum addresses financing gaps for women in African tech

    At the second Women in Technology and Innovation Africa Summit in Nairobi, stakeholders highlighted a critical financing gap for women entrepreneurs and technology leaders despite growing numbers entering STEM fields. The WITIA founder emphasized the need for collaboration and visibility platforms, noting that investor attitudes towards funding women-led initiatives are improving.

    4 September 2026 · The Standard →

  2. University students to move from grants to loan-based funding

    All university students will shift to a loan-based funding model, ending President William Ruto's three-year student-centred financing system. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the transition will occur once Parliament passes the Tertiary Education Placement and Funding Bill, 2026.

    4 September 2026 · The Standard →

Thursday 3 September

  1. Ministry extends HELB, University Fund applications to September 21

    The Ministry of Education has extended the application period for the Universities Fund and Higher Education Loans Board to September 21, 2026, citing that some eligible students and trainees may have missed the August 31 deadline. The previous window received 789,422 applications, and the government has already disbursed Ksh.22.12 billion in first-semester funding to continuing university students and TVET trainees.

    3 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →

  2. Government extends tertiary education funding deadline to September 21

    The government extended the application window for university and TVET funding for first-time students to September 21, 2026, after receiving 789,422 applications by the initial August 31 deadline. The extension was made to allow eligible students who missed the deadline for various reasons to apply.

    3 September 2026 · Capital News →

  3. Government extends university funding deadline to September 21

    Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has extended the application deadline for first-time university and TVET funding to September 21, giving students and trainees who missed the August 31 cutoff three additional weeks to apply for state support.

    3 September 2026 · The Standard →

  4. Women in STEM Summit calls for investment in African female innovators

    Leaders from government, academia, and the private sector gathered at the Women in STEM Africa Summit 2026 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre to call for investment in African women and girls to drive the continent's innovation economy. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba emphasized the need for equal access to science, technology, engineering and mathematics education for girls.

    3 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →

Wednesday 2 September

  1. TVET enrolment rises from 350,000 to over 1.2 million learners

    Kenya is experiencing a surge in technical and vocational education enrolment, with numbers rising from about 350,000 learners in 2022 to 1,201,320 by May 2026. More than 26,000 university-eligible students have voluntarily chosen TVET programmes, signalling a shift in perception toward practical skills in fields such as engineering, construction, ICT, and renewable energy.

    2 September 2026 · The Standard →

Saturday 29 August

  1. DIG Lagat leads fundraising for Utumishi Girls school reconstruction

    Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat has led a fundraising drive at Utumishi Girls Academy in Nakuru County to support rebuilding after a May 28 dormitory fire that killed 16 students and injured 79 others. The tragedy prompted national debate on boarding school safety, including concerns about overcrowding and emergency exits, and investigation found a dormitory exit door had been locked.

    29 August 2026 · Capital News →

Monday 24 August

  1. Education Ministry releases Sh18.5bn for schools' third term

    The Ministry of Education has released Sh18.51 billion in capitation to public schools as the third term of 2026 began, with allocations of Sh1.40 billion to primary schools, Sh6.14 billion to junior schools, and Sh10.96 billion to secondary schools. Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba warned school heads against imposing unauthorised levies and pledged to take action against institutions misappropriating funds.

    24 August 2026 · Capital News →

  2. Government shifts university funding model away from means testing

    Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has announced a shift from the Student-Centred Funding Model, which assessed parents' financial circumstances, to a Universal Student Funding Model focused on investing directly in students' professional futures. The opinion piece questions why Kenya's higher education financing keeps changing funding models, from the Differentiated Unit Cost model, to the Student-Centred Funding Model introduced in 2023, to now the new approach.

    24 August 2026 · The Standard →

  3. Government releases Sh18.5 billion capitation for third term schools

    The government has released Sh18.5 billion in capitation to support operations in public basic education institutions during the third term of 2026 as schools reopened. The allocation is distributed across Free Day Secondary Education (Sh10.963 billion), Free Day Junior School Education (Sh6.1 billion), and Free Primary Education (Sh1.4 billion).

    24 August 2026 · The Standard →

Friday 21 August

  1. Kenya government plans higher education funding reform amid admissions surge

    The Education Cabinet Secretary confirmed that the government is reforming higher education funding to accommodate every eligible learner, as university admissions have increased by more than 300 per cent in less than a decade. The Universities Fund has disbursed scholarships worth Ksh.78 billion over the past three financial years as demand for higher education rises.

    21 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →

Thursday 20 August

  1. Ogamba defends new university funding model, challenges Gachagua

    Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has defended the government's proposed university funding model, challenging former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and other critics to offer alternative solutions rather than only criticising the reforms. Ogamba argued that the current system is unsustainable and that the proposed changes would introduce an investment approach where the State considers students' eventual careers and earning potential when determining higher education financing.

    20 August 2026 · Capital News →

  2. Professor Kibwana becomes Chancellor of International Leadership University

    Professor Kivutha Kibwana has assumed office as Chancellor of the International Leadership University, with Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba and former Court of Appeal President Justice Daniel Musinga praising his professionalism and academic experience. Kibwana, a Professor of Law with extensive experience in academia and public service, previously taught at the University of Nairobi and currently serves at Daystar University and the Catholic University of Eastern Africa.

    20 August 2026 · Capital News →

  3. Schools to reopen Monday; Ministry denies postponement reports

    Kenya's Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba says schools and Teacher Training Colleges will reopen Monday as scheduled, refuting misleading social media messages claiming a delay to the academic calendar.

    20 August 2026 · Capital News →

  4. MPs urge Education Ministry to enforce school morning reporting times

    Members of the National Assembly have pushed the Ministry of Education to enforce adherence to school reporting time policies, citing security concerns as young children arriving early pose a threat. Bahati MP Irene Njoki raised the matter in Parliament, noting that despite previous requests, implementation remains a challenge, and sought guidelines particularly for areas experiencing insecurity and sexual and gender-based violence.

    20 August 2026 · The Standard →

  5. Ogamba defends government's university financing reforms

    Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has reaffirmed the government's commitment to working with private universities and defended proposed reforms to higher education financing, arguing that Kenya's existing financing system is unsustainable amid rising demand and pressure on public resources.

    20 August 2026 · The Standard →

Julius Ogamba — Kenyan press coverage · Kenya Minute