The KEPSA Education Sector Board commenced its 2-day retreat on 18^th October 2023 at a Hotel in Naivasha. The central aim of the retreat was to align the sector board objectives with KEPSA’s new focus on global competitiveness and to critically examine the sustainability of private education in Kenya, entailing a thorough assessment of recent reforms, a focused dialogue on the challenges faced by private education providers, and an exploration of synergies to enhance sustainability.

The first day of the retreat provided an opportunity for the sector board members to evaluate the implications of the proposals of the presidential working party and the Preparedness of Universities and Technical and Vocational Education (TVET) institutions for Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) students. The session was chaired by Ms. Mary Olubayi.

The anticipated outcome was a comprehensive position paper. Moreover, the identification of challenges, proposal of solutions, formulation of strategic collaboration plans, policy recommendations, and an actionable roadmap.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Vincent Gaitho, Chair of the KEPSA Education Sector Board, expressed gratitude to members for their dedication to the retreat. He emphasized engaging with industry stakeholders to shape curriculum development and address concerns about students graduating with incomplete skill sets. He then acknowledged the challenges in implementing CBC and expressed hope for a unified position paper on CBC implementation.

Ms. Mutheu Kasanga, KEPSA Board Director in charge of Education and social services, highlighted the pivotal role played by the private sector in facilitating accessibility, ensuring equity, and broadening the spectrum of educational choices.

The KEPSA Education Sector Board Vice Chair for TVET, Ms. Priscilla Kerebi, expressed gratitude for the participants' commitment to the crucial dialogue on Kenya's educational future. She stressed the importance of assessing education quality to align with international standards, particularly regarding Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). Ms. Kerebi also highlighted the need to address the erosion of the country's value system.

Ms. Wairimu Njage, KEPSA Education Sector Board Vice Chair for Basic Education, emphasized collective contributions to position Kenya as a regional education hub. She stressed the necessity of enhanced advocacy training for board members to effectively address key issues. Ms. Njage expressed optimism that the retreat discussions would illuminate the link between education and global competitiveness, aligning with KEPSA's current focus.

The presentations and subsequent discussions encompassed an in-depth overview of policy and regulatory shifts within Kenya's education system, with a specialized focus on private education sustainability. Ms. Jane Mwangi, KEPSA Education Sector Board Member, provided a detailed analysis of the impact of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) and offered policy recommendations tailored to different education sectors, including Basic Education, TVET, University, and Cross-Cutting domains.

Mr. Victor Ogalo, KEPSA Deputy CEO, discussed the education sector's economic impact and workforce absorption. He then outlined advocacy strategies, underlining specificity and partnership opportunities with decision-makers. Mr. Ogalo advised using a dashboard for performance tracking, emphasizing areas for improvement. He concluded by thanking the members for their dedication.

Dr. Susan Macharia, invited guest from Mount Kenya University, provided an examination of the readiness of TVETs and universities for the transition to the CBC.

The retreat was a concerted effort to promote collaboration, propose pragmatic solutions to existing challenges, and ensure a sustainable private education sector in Kenya, aligning with the broader vision of being globally competitive.