The KEPSA Education Sector Board members have been urged to develop strategies that would provide solutions to the challenges in the education sector.

Speakers in the KEPSA Education Sector Board Retreat that was held in Meru County, led by the KEPSA Chairperson Ms Flora Mutahi, demonstrated ways in which the private sector can contribute to the development of not only the education sector but also to other contemporary challenges in the country.

The three-day retreat, which kicked off on 25th October 2022, provided an opportunity for the sector board members to review and develop a strategic alignment of the contribution of the private sector in enhancing skills and human capital competitiveness for sustainable development.

Ms Flora Mutahi, who joined the meeting virtually, thanked the sector board members for their unwavering commitment to the education agenda. She encouraged them to identify three key areas of interest that the private sector can help to co-create solutions for the sector ahead of engagement with the government. She further urged members to marshal support for the private sector initiative on the drought emergency.

The KEPSA Education Sector Board, led by Ms Jane Mwangi, analysed the Kenya Kwanza manifesto and identified opportunities that the private sector can plug in despite the fact that education is not one of the key priorities in the manifesto.

Mr Davis Waithaka advocated the need for maximum participation and support of the private sector towards digital citizenry within a digitally enabled economy. The private sector can contribute by developing and improving digital products already on offer; providing training and capacity building for the digital economy; Creating and extending partnerships beyond borders. The private sector should also actively participate in stakeholder roundtables and workshops; lastly, the private sector to directly or indirectly support basic, mid-level and advanced digitization efforts for school communities.

Ms Mary shared that COVID-19 exacerbated the existing learning crisis and challenges around achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and that this should provoke us to build back better through the enhancement of Digital capacity and ability; Policy changes; and Financial literacy and health in order to salvage the situation.

The Sector Board Chair Dr Vincent Gaitho, emphasized the great need to enhance academia-industry linkage, collaboration and connection so that the skills we produce from our institutions become useful to the economy as possible.