Thika: Education stakeholders have raised concern over growing political interference in the education sector, warning that politicising learning risks destabilising schools and derailing long-term planning needed to support learners across the country. The stakeholders emphasized that education thrives in a stable and predictable environment, noting that political contestation often diverts attention from critical issues that directly affect learners and institutions.

According to Kenya News Agency, during a stakeholders' forum held in Thika town, Mount Kenya University (MKU) Pro-Chancellor Dr. Vincent Gaitho stated that decisions affecting schools and institutions of higher learning should be guided by professional input and evidence-based planning rather than political rivalry. Dr. Gaitho, who also chairs the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA)'s education board, noted that when education becomes a political issue, focus shifts away from long-standing challenges such as access to education, quality of learning, infrastructure development, and sustainable funding.

He stressed that efforts should be directed towards addressing infrastructure challenges, including overcrowded classrooms, inadequate laboratories, limited sanitation facilities, and insufficient accommodation, which continue to affect many schools. These challenges, he observed, have been compounded by rising enrolment and population growth, particularly in urban centres and marginalized regions where existing facilities are overstretched.

The stakeholders also raised concern over the slow reporting of Grade 10 learners, noting that efforts should be made to ensure they all report to secondary school. The forum highlighted that the situation has created anxiety among learners and parents, while increasing pressure on schools that lack adequate facilities to absorb the growing number of students. They suggested that the challenge could be addressed through deliberate investment in well-equipped and properly furnished schools across the country.

Dr. Gaitho further urged both the national and county governments to prioritize education infrastructure by increasing investment in classrooms, laboratories, dormitories, and sanitation facilities to ease congestion and improve learning conditions. He also noted that despite government support, many parents continue to struggle with indirect education costs such as uniforms, learning materials, and transport. Expanding infrastructure closer to communities, he suggested, would help reduce these costs and enhance access to education.