The Ministry of Education is facing growing opposition over plans to restructure Boards of Management in schools, with education stakeholders warning that rushed reforms could weaken community participation and disrupt school operations.
Professor Henry Onderi, Chairman of Education Stakeholders in Kenya, wants the government to conduct broad consultations before Parliament approves the proposed changes.
The Basic Education Bill, 2025 seeks to reduce BoM membership from the current structure to a maximum of nine members while removing teacher and student representatives from school boards.
Restructure Boards of Management Plan Sparks Pushback
The Ministry of Education's plan to restructure Boards of Management has triggered concerns among education stakeholders who fear the reforms could weaken community involvement in school governance.
Professor Henry Onderi, a lecturer at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology and former chairman of the Kisii County Education Board, has urged the government to slow down the process.
Speaking in Kisii town, Onderi argued that reforms affecting millions of learners, parents and teachers require extensive public participation.
He warned that making major decisions without consulting communities could undermine public ownership of schools and create problems for institutions implementing the changes.
The proposed reforms appear in the Basic Education Bill, 2025, which is currently before the National Assembly's Departmental Committee on Education.
The Bill forms part of wider reforms arising from recommendations by the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform.
| Current BoM Structure | Proposed Structure |
|---|---|
| Up to 14 regular appointed members | Maximum 9 members |
| Up to 3 co-opted members | Smaller and leaner structure |
| Teacher representatives included | Teacher representatives removed |
| Student council representatives included | Student representatives removed |
| Existing community representation | Greater role for alumni and NGAO nominees |
| Larger governance structure | Focus on lower governance costs |
Onderi argues that reducing the size of boards should not come at the expense of the people who understand the day-to-day realities of schools.
Government Defends Smaller and Leaner School Boards
The Ministry of Education has defended the proposal, arguing that the existing governance structure contains too many members and creates unnecessary costs.
Education Ministry Director-General Dr. Elyas Abdi told Parliament that the government considers the current structure too large.
The proposed nine-member limit would align school boards with the Mwongozo Code of Governance, which promotes leaner and more effective governance structures.
The government also wants to reduce the cost associated with board meetings because members receive sitting allowances.
However, the proposed changes go beyond reducing the number of board members.
The Bill would remove representatives of teaching staff and student councils from school boards and introduce representatives from the National Government Administration Officers, alumni associations and the Principal Secretary responsible for Basic Education.
The proposed boards would include representatives of parents, sponsors, persons living with disabilities, professionals, alumni associations, the County Director of Education and the head of the institution.
The reforms would also change the composition of county education boards.
County commissioners would chair county education boards under the proposed framework, replacing educationists who currently occupy the position.
The Bill would further formally recognise school heads as agents of the Principal Secretary, increasing their accountability for financial and institutional management.
The government says these changes would strengthen oversight, improve decision-making and reduce unnecessary bureaucracy.
It also proposes abolishing the National Education Board while retaining county education boards under a revised structure.
Stakeholders Demand Wider Consultation Before Parliament Acts
Onderi has accepted the need to improve accountability but argues that efficiency should not override community participation.
He described Boards of Management as an important link between schools and the communities they serve.
Removing teachers and student representatives could, in his view, eliminate important perspectives from school decision-making.
The proposed restructuring could also affect how schools manage development projects, bursaries, finances and community partnerships.
Parents and local communities often rely on school boards to provide oversight and help determine how institutions use resources.
A poorly managed transition could therefore create confusion at a time when schools are already implementing major curriculum and administrative reforms.
Onderi wants the Ministry to conduct county-level consultations before Parliament passes the Bill.
Such consultations could allow parents, teachers, sponsors, school heads, students, alumni and county education officials to raise concerns and suggest improvements.
The demand comes as the government pursues a wider overhaul of Kenya's education system.
Cabinet adopted the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform package on February 11, 2026, paving the way for several legislative and administrative changes.
The challenge for the Ministry will now be convincing stakeholders that the proposed restructure Boards of Management reforms will improve school governance rather than weaken local participation.
Reducing board numbers could deliver savings and faster decision-making, but the government must demonstrate that the smaller structures will still provide sufficient representation and accountability.
Parliament will ultimately determine whether the proposed changes become law.
Before that happens, however, stakeholders want the government to open the process to wider public scrutiny.
The debate is therefore no longer simply about the number of people sitting on school boards.
It has become a broader question about who should have a voice in running Kenya's schools and how far the government should go in centralising education governance.
