Kenya Minute.
Monday, 4 May 2026
Kenya’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Monday, 4 May 2026
Nairobi—:—London—:—New York—:—Beijing—:—
Organization

Ministry of Education

Kenyan government agency responsible for education policy and school oversight, currently addressing fee inflation and dropout rates in schools.

The Ministry of Education is investigating and disciplining schools over unauthorized fee increases and financial mismanagement, including directing disciplinary action against the principal of Alliance Girls High School for imposing a fee hike exceeding 100 per cent without approval. The ministry faces concurrent scrutiny over dropout rates in junior school under the Competency-Based Education system, with data showing over 151,000 learners failed to complete the cycle since 2019.

2026-04-272026-05-05
Society

151,000 learners fail to complete junior school under CBE system

The News

KNEC data shows that of 1.282 million learners enrolled in Grade Four in 2019 under Kenya's new Competency-Based Education system, only 1.130 million sat the Grade Nine assessment, leaving about 151,630 unaccounted for and raising concerns about dropouts and retention gaps. The dropout disproportionately affected boys, with nearly 100,000 male learners and about 52,000 girls failing to complete junior school.

Why it matters

Over 151,000 learners failing to complete junior school under Kenya's new education system reveals a major retention crisis affecting the nation's future workforce.

13 hours ago · Citizen Digital →

Sunday 3 May

  1. 151,000 learners fail to complete junior school under CBE system

    KNEC data shows that of 1.282 million learners enrolled in Grade Four in 2019 under Kenya's new Competency-Based Education system, only 1.130 million sat the Grade Nine assessment, leaving about 151,630 unaccounted for and raising concerns about dropouts and retention gaps. The dropout disproportionately affected boys, with nearly 100,000 male learners and about 52,000 girls failing to complete junior school.

    13 hours ago · Citizen Digital →

  2. Ruto pledges 30 classrooms and laboratories for Njiiri Secondary

    President William Ruto has pledged to personally pay for the construction of 30 new classrooms and six laboratories at Njiiri School in Murang'a County to decongest the institution, which currently has 2,100 students. He also directed the Lands Cabinet Secretary to facilitate construction of a 1,000-student dormitory at a cost of Sh100 million and promised the Ministry of Education will allocate Sh70 million for an administration block.

    4 May 2026 · The Standard →

Yesterday

  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. Kenya hosts Chinese Bridge proficiency competition for university students

    Kenya held the national finals of the 25th Chinese Bridge Chinese Proficiency Competition, featuring 20 university students competing in speech and talent categories at the University of Nairobi. The event, hosted by the Chinese Embassy in partnership with Confucius Institutes, was attended by senior government officials and diplomats, with officials highlighting the competition's role in fostering cross-cultural understanding and developing Mandarin speakers as cultural ambassadors between Kenya and China.

    1 May 2026 · Capital News →

  2. Presidential secondary bursary cut to Sh100 million as consolidation urged

    The government has reduced the presidential secondary bursary allocation from Sh400 million to Sh100 million for 2026/2027. The Institute of Public Finance argues that consolidating multiple parallel bursary schemes could eliminate duplication and provide full free secondary education with a Sh20 billion surplus.

    1 May 2026 · The Standard →

  3. Alliance Girls High School faces allegations of fee inflation and mismanagement

    Alliance Girls High School, one of Kenya's most prestigious schools, is under scrutiny following a Ministry of Education investigative report that exposed systemic financial mismanagement and exploitation of parents by the school's Board of Management and administration, including inflated fees, illegal levies, and questionable financial practices.

    1 May 2026 · The Standard →

Wednesday 29 April

  1. Ministry moves to discipline Alliance Girls over unauthorized fee hike

    The Ministry of Education has directed the Teachers Service Commission to initiate disciplinary action against the chief principal of Alliance Girls High School over a more than 100 per cent fee increase to Ksh.120,000 that lacked ministry approval. The Education Cabinet Secretary says action will be taken against any principal found imposing excessive fees beyond government-approved rates.

    30 April 2026 · Citizen Digital →

  2. President Ruto honors marathoner Sawe for record-breaking achievement

    President William Ruto awarded Sebastian Sawe Ksh.8 million after the 30-year-old became the first person to run a marathon in under two hours, with an official time of 01:59:30 at the London Marathon. Ruto hosted Sawe at State House on Thursday to celebrate the historic feat.

    30 April 2026 · Citizen Digital →

Tuesday 28 April

  1. KNUT challenges government's Ksh.188 capitation per learner allocation

    The Kenya National Union of Teachers has called for a stakeholder meeting after the government allocated Ksh.188 per primary school learner for the second term, citing concerns that the amount is insufficient for learning activities including textbook maintenance (Ksh.5), teachers' guides (Ksh.15), and exercise books (Ksh.40).

    29 April 2026 · Citizen Digital →

Sunday 26 April

  1. Karua blames government for delayed school capitation funds

    People's Liberation Party leader Martha Karua has accused the government of failing to release capitation funds to schools ahead of the second term reopening, linking the delayed funds to corruption and misallocation of resources.

    27 April 2026 · Citizen Digital →

Kenya Minute