Fear of Govt Plans to Take Over Church-Sponsored Schools
Fear of Govt Plans to Take Over Church-Sponsored Schools
Fear of Govt Plans to Take Over Church-Sponsored Schools
The Catholic Church and the Kenya Kwanza government are engaged in a rapidly developing conflict. The Church has expressed grave concerns about policies that it believes are intended to lessen its influence in Kenyan education and society at large.
The proposed Basic Education Bill 2024 and Universities (Amendment) Bill 2024 were cited by the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) at a press conference on April 11 as crucial areas where the government seems to be infringing on the autonomy traditionally enjoyed by religious organizations in managing educational institutions.
Archbishop Maurice Muhatia of Kisumu, the newly elected KCCB chairperson, articulated the church’s apprehensions. “There appears to be a deliberate intent by the government to diminish and undermine the role of the Catholic Church, and indeed all faiths, as custodians of morality in our society,” he stated.
There are 5,821 elementary schools, 1,756 secondary schools, 2,513 early childhood development facilities, 220 vocational schools, and 21 teacher training colleges in the extensive network of educational establishments run by the Catholic Church. Taken as a whole, these establishments make up a sizeable chunk of the country’s educational system.
According to Muhatia, “the proposed legislation represents a profound shift in the government’s approach towards church-sponsored schools.” As per the Basic Education Bill, the Cabinet Secretary will have extensive authority to impact ldecisions concerning private and church-sponsored schools, thereby redefining the role of “sponsors” in education.
Any organization seeking to sponsor an educational establishment is required by Section 151 of the controversial Bill to notify the County Education Board. The Board may then approve, amend, or reject the request after consulting with the Cabinet Secretary. Additionally, the Cabinet Secretary may establish rules governing the acknowledgment and handling of sponsorship contributions under this section.
Muhatia continued, highlighting the betrayal of faith and custom that this signifies. “This is a stark departure from the historical agreements between the Church and the State regarding the administration of church-founded educational institutions.”
Furthermore, the Bill stipulates that the County Education Board will appoint the chairperson of the Board of Management for public schools sponsored by faith-based organizations after consulting with the sponsors. This move is perceived by the Church as a further diminution of its power.
The Universities (Amendment) Bill 2024 is another point of contention regarding higher education.
This Bill gives the Cabinet Secretary for Education extraordinary authority to disband, combine, or transform private universities, including those established by religious institutions, without sufficiently consulting the parties who were initially in charge of their establishment.
It states, “The Cabinet Secretary may, upon recommendation from the Commission and other relevant stakeholders, recommend to the President the merger, conversion, or amalgamation of two or more private universities; the acquisition of one university by another; or the closure of a university.”
The Bill further establishes the government’s control over the administrative futures of private universities by giving the Cabinet Secretary the power to create regulations intended to improve the section’s practical application.
“At a time when public universities are facing serious challenges, it is perplexing that the government chooses to focus on the control of private and faith-based universities,” Muhatia said.
“We support the guidelines and standards established by the Ministry of Education, but we also insist on comprehensive and courteous consultations with all stakeholders on matters that affect our institutions,” he continued.
