The Chairperson of the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Education and Research, Julius Melly, has praised President William Ruto’s administration for what he described as significant progress in Kenya’s education sector, citing teacher promotions, infrastructure development and efforts to sustain the 100 per cent transition policy.
Speaking during the national World Teachers’ Day celebrations at the Kasarani Indoor Arena in Nairobi on Monday, Melly said the government had placed teachers and education infrastructure at the centre of its development agenda.
Melly singled out teacher promotions as one of the administration’s key achievements, claiming that about 160,000 teachers had been promoted during President Ruto’s first four years in office.
He contrasted the figure with what he said was fewer than 70,000 promotions recorded during the preceding 10 years.
“Look at the employment of teachers. Look at the promotion: 160,000 teachers with the president. I was in Parliament for the last 10 years. We only managed less than 70,000. In four years, you promoted 160,000.”
The Teachers Service Commission has continued to run promotion programmes, although the scale of promotions has varied from year to year. The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics reported that the number of teachers in public secondary schools and teacher training colleges rose from 120,265 in 2021 to 131,501 in 2025.
In August, however, reports indicated that the TSC had planned to promote 34,016 teachers in the 2026/27 financial year, against President Ruto’s previously announced annual target of 50,000 promotions.
Melly also pointed to investments in classrooms and laboratories, particularly as Kenya continues to expand access to secondary education through the 100 per cent transition policy.
The policy has significantly increased pressure on schools and infrastructure. Ministry of Education data shows secondary-school enrolment rose by 31 per cent from 2.94 million learners in 2018 to 3.86 million in 2022, while the gross enrolment rate increased from 70.3 per cent to 85.5 per cent over the same period.
The government has consequently faced an expanding demand for classrooms, laboratories and other facilities. A Ministry of Education assessment estimated that 1.7 million Grade Seven learners moving into Grade Nine in January 2025 would require an additional 26,000 classroom spaces nationwide.
Education Chair maintained that Parliament had worked with the TSC and other education agencies to support programmes aimed at improving access and learning conditions.
He said lawmakers were also considering six education reform Bills arising from recommendations of the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform.
The proposed legislation covers tertiary education funding and placement, basic education, national educational assessment, teacher training, qualifications and curriculum development.
The six Bills are the Tertiary Education, Placement and Funding Bill, 2026; Basic Education Bill, 2026; Kenya National Educational Assessments Council Bill, 2026; Pre-Service Education and In-Service Training Bill, 2026; Kenya National Qualifications Framework (Amendment) Bill, 2026; and Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
Parliament has been conducting nationwide public participation on the proposals. The process is intended to gather views from teachers, parents, learners, education officials and other stakeholders before the Bills proceed through further parliamentary stages.
Melly maintained that the views collected during the consultations would be presented to Parliament without alteration, with lawmakers expected to consider the interests of Kenyans before making decisions.
“Whatever you told us, we are going to present raw as it is before the House of Parliament.”
The reforms trace their origins to the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform established by President Ruto in September 2022. Cabinet approved a package of education reform Bills in February 2026, paving the way for their consideration by Parliament.
The Chair maintained that Parliament would scrutinise government proposals against the Constitution and public submissions, while supporting initiatives intended to strengthen Kenya’s education system.
He described teachers as central to national development, saying their influence extends beyond classrooms to families and wider society.
His remarks came as Kenya joined the rest of the world in marking World Teachers’ Day, which this year coincides with the 60th anniversary of the 1966 ILO-UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers. The 2026 global observance has also highlighted a worldwide shortage of teachers, estimated by UNESCO at about 44 million.
Melly called for continued cooperation between Parliament, the government, the TSC, teachers and other education agencies as Kenya seeks to expand access while improving the quality and relevance of education.