Prof George Magoha arrives at Jogoo House, the Education
ministry headquarters, with glittering credentials of excellent public
performance and academic achievements. But he is facing an equally tough
assignment given the challenges confronting the education sector
arising from poor leadership witnessed in recent times.
SUCCESS
His
predecessor Amina Mohamed, who moves to Sports, Culture and Heritage,
lowered the bar through misadventures, indecisiveness and sheer lack of
understanding of the vexed education sector. Her short-lived tenure was
an anti-climax; a drastic climbdown from the high standards set by the
previous minister, Dr Fred Matiang’i, who now heads Interior docket with
the additional plum job of co-ordinating all other ministries.
A
professor of medicine, Mr Magoha carries with him success of running
the University of Nairobi competently during a turbulent time of
transition, especially in the early years of the Narc administration
that was characterised by expanded democratic space, freedoms and civil
liberties.
Then, Prof Magoha had made
history as the first competitively appointed vice-chancellor of a
public university. In 2003, President Mwai Kibaki, who had stridden to
power in 2002 on the wave of reform agenda under Narc, appointed
individuals as chancellors of public universities, jettisoning erstwhile
perverse practice where the Head of State sat as the titular of head of
public universities.
Mr Joe Wanjui, a
renown entrepreneur, was appointed chancellor of the University of
Nairobi and his first determination was to declare competitive
appointment of all positions, starting with that of vice-chancellor.
When VC position was advertised thereafter, Prof Magoha, who had hardly
worked as deputy vice-chancellor, applied and went ahead to floor a team
of veteran academicians and administrators to get the coveted job. He
was to serve for two terms, from 2004-2014.
STUPID As
His
major achievement was addressing deteriorating quality of teaching and
learning and manage lecturers and students, who in view of the expanded
freedoms, had revived their unions that had been banned under the Kanu
rule years ago, which unions became very virulent. But he was able to
calm the restive students and stridently aggressive lecturers through a
mix of firmness, ruthlessness, bravery, consultations and decisiveness —
all combined to earn him the nickname ‘buffalo’.
One
of his outstanding attainments was construction of the University
Tower, the imposing structure at the main campus that had never seen any
physical structure development in decades.
But
his lasting legacy was at the Kenya National Examinations Council
(Knec) where, working together with then Education minister Dr
Matiang’i, he stamped out veritable string of exam cheating that had
brought shame to the country.
He
arrived at Knec with the ruthlessness and singularity of mind and
quickly conducted structural and administrative reorganisation. All top
officials were vetted afresh and those found unsuitable exited. Those
who survived the purge were committed to excellence. And the results
showed. In the first year at Knec, the number of candidates scoring
grade A and above dropped drastically.
His
mantra was “no more stupid As” — a pejorative reference to the previous
years when many candidates scored higher grades after cheating in the
exams.
Speaking during the release of
last year’s Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), Prof
Magoha declared that he was stepping out when his term at Knec ends,
which was to be this March. His inclination was to get out and let
others take over and drive the reform process at the council. With the
benefit of hindsight, his declaration has come to pass but in a
circuitous manner. Yes, he is stepping down as Knec chair but not going
away. He is taking a more powerful and strategic role in examination
administration. As Education minister, he will directly be in charge of
policy and overall oversight on administration of exams.
FUNDING
But
he has his work cut out. The first assignment is to review
implementation of the competence based curriculum launched
controversially this year and which, by all counts, is hurtling from one
crisis to another — poor preparation of teachers, lack of teaching and
learning materials, inadequate and weak supervision. Second, he has to
deal with the biting shortage of teachers in schools and bungled staff
transfers. Added to this is the frequent strike by teachers over pay
package, which perennially disrupt learning.
Third,
he has to tackle the nagging question of lack of funding for primary
and secondary schools given the dwindling resources for free primary and
subsidised secondary education.
Fourth,
which sits within his purview, is streamlining university education,
currently beset with myriads of challenges, among them cash crunch,
staff shortage, absence of teaching and learning resources and paucity
of research. Crucially deserving attention is funding of university
education — cash for students, budgets for the institutions and funding
for research.
Within the realm of
higher education is also co-ordination of expansion of technical and
vocational education and training that has taken a sense of urgency in
recent years to ensure value for learners and the economy.
Prof
Magoha’s scalpel is required at the ministry more than anywhere else.
He must get on the job running and clear the mess in the sector.
via Daily Nation
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