NAIROBI, Kenya — Kipchumba Murkomen, Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, will host the inaugural Elgeyo-Marakwet Elimu Conference this Friday at the Lorna Kiplagat Academy in Iten, Elgeyo-Marakwet County.
The one-day forum aims to sensitise education stakeholders on the implementation of Competency-Based Education (CBE) while addressing persistent challenges affecting academic performance in schools across the County.
The conference will be attended by about 2,500 participants, including school principals, student leaders, academics, education administrators, teacher union representatives, and professionals from the region.
It will also be attended by Julius Migos Ogamba, Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Education, who will co-host the discussions alongside Murkomen.
Addressing Education Challenges
According to Murkomen, who also serves as patron of the OKM Foundation, the county continues to face several structural challenges affecting education quality.
“The lower parts of Elgeyo-Marakwet County are recovering from decades of banditry, and therefore the quality of education has gone down over the years,” Murkomen said.
He added that some schools are struggling with high teacher-student ratios, poor infrastructure, including a shortage of laboratories, and low transition rates to senior secondary schools and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.
“Bringing this county on par with the rest of the country is therefore urgent. No one stakeholder has the silver bullet to solve this problem. That is why we are bringing together all stakeholders to explore the best ways to raise education standards in the shortest time possible,” he said.
Stakeholder Engagement
The conference will feature presentations from education experts and officials drawn from the Teachers Service Commission and the Ministry of Education.
Discussions are expected to focus on strategies to improve learning outcomes, teacher deployment, infrastructure development, and effective implementation of the competency-based curriculum.
The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) will also address participants on the impact of alcohol and substance abuse among learners and strategies to curb the vice in schools.
Regional Development Through Education
The conference is being organised under the auspices of the OKM Foundation, a philanthropic organisation established in 2023 that supports education and youth development initiatives in the North Rift region.
The foundation currently sponsors about 200 students annually, runs mentorship programmes and supports talent development through sports tournaments.
Leaders Expected to Attend
Several political and government leaders from the region are expected to attend the forum, including Wisley Rotich, Governor of Elgeyo-Marakwet County, as well as Members of Parliament and national government officials.
Other invited leaders include Chris Kiptoo, Julius Bitok, Esther Muoria, Caroline Ng’elechei, William Kipsang, and acting Teachers Service Commission Chief Executive Officer Evaleen Mitei.
