Catholic clerics have opposed the Ministry of Education’s (MoE) attempt to control hundreds of schools across the country which the church sponsors.
Through the proposed Education Bill (Basic Education Bill, 2024), the clerics see a scheme to sideline the church in the management of schools.
Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) in a press conference, led by the chairman Archbishop Maurice Muhatia Makumba, said the proposed Bill seeks to dilute and reduce the role of the church in schools and other educational institutions.
He added that the Bill is in breach of the arrangement between the church and the State on how church-founded education institutions were to be managed.
According to the bishops, the proposed Bill threatens the crucial role of churches in the country’s education system.
“As major stakeholders in the provision of education, we as church, have right to actively engage in the overall management and supervision of all our private and Catholic-sponsored schools. Most of these were borne out of the initiative of the Catholic church,” the bishops said.
The 29 bishops rejected what they described as a systematic scheme to undermine and weaken the management role as founders of the Catholic-sponsored schools.
“Our history is very clear; that many of these institutions were established by our missionaries, who worked tirelessly and with great sacrifice, to set them up and nurtured them for many years. The main contribution was not only academic education but a true formation of morals and humanity,” said Muhatia.
He further added that there have been gradual attempts by the State to wrest out the management and role of churches in the schools since independence.
On the proposed University Bill (amendment) 2024, the clerics said it will grant the education minister unilateral powers of dissolution and merger, conversion or amalgamation of private universities without reference to the owners, which creates a leeway of total control and interference with faith-based universities.
The clerics called for consultation and active engagement in matters that affect their universities and on any proposed education Bill amendment.
“While we wish to follow the standards set by the Ministry of Education, we wish that there always be full consultation with all stakeholders in matters that affect our universities,” Muhatia stated, adding that the government should focus more on how to improve the deteriorating situation in public universities.
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By Brian Ndigo
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