Last week, the KEPSA Education Sector Board held a retreat at the Abai Lodge and Spa, Kirinyaga County from 17^th – 18^th October 2024. The delegation was led by the Sector Board Chair, Dr. Vincent Gaitho, Ms. Priscilla Kerebi, Sector Board Vice Chair, Ms. Doris Olutende, Manager PPD and Prof. Collins Odote, Chairperson, Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms Implementation Committee.

The retreat focused on re-engineering the strategic approach of the private sector to position Kenya as a leading continental Education Hub.  This provided an opportunity to review strategies for a more coordinated framework for public-private partnerships in education, fostering meaningful policy dialogues. Furthermore, the retreat offered a valuable platform for the private sector to collaborate and contribute to the sectoral legislative reforms spearheaded by the PWPER Implementation Committee, ensuring that the legislation reflects the interests of all key stakeholders.

The retreat highlighted the following;

• The key opportunities and initiatives for the Education Sector Board to leverage on within KEPSA;

1. Co-creation in Project Development through KEPSA Consult in Project Mapping and Proposal Writing.  
2. Curriculum Development in areas such as ESG in partnership with industry players, alongside updates to existing curricula.
3. Sensitization on and Utilization of the Trade Agreements to benefit the education sector.
4. Promotion and Marketing of Kenya as an education destination, positioning the country as a hub for international students.  
5. Partnerships in Research & Development and moreso the Commercialization of those Projects with Industry players

• The Sector Skills Advisory Committee, that aims at advancing vocational skills development by fostering apprenticeship between companies and education in technical and vocational training institutions. Key activities include skills mapping of both demand and supply, along with the identification and execution of programs to enhance vocational training.
• Policy reforms necessary to advance the sector;

1. Regulations around the verification of new curriculum by KICD
2. School Registration Guidelines
3. Tax incentives and benefits that would create an enabling environment for educators by enhancing the ease of doing business.
4. Regulations/Rules around virtual schools
5. Allocation of funds for research 

• The policy reforms that have been fronted by the PWPER Implementation committee which include;

1. The Tertiary Education Placement and Funding Bill, which among other things merges HELB, UFB, KUCCPS, TVETB into the Tertiary Education Placement and Funding Authority.
2. The unification of registration formalities for both public and private schools
3. Implementation of the Recognition of Prior Learning Policy
4. Establishment of a TVET Service Council
5. Limitation of University program validity to 6yrs to ensure alignment to the evolving market requirements.

The meeting concluded with an agreed-upon action plan, which includes, but is not limited to, the following: engagements with the respective State Departments, the organization of a Ministerial Stakeholder Forum, the development of a Position Paper based on PWPER discussions, and a visit to Bridge International to benchmark the use of technology and AI in the education system.