Kenya hastens education sector reforms: official

The Kenyan government is implementing reforms in the education sector to support a skills-driven socio-economic transformation, an official said on Tuesday.

Fred Matiangi, Cabinet Secretary for Education, Science and Technology, said an ongoing curriculum review was part of efforts to create a skilled workforce for the country.

He was speaking in Nairobi during an education policy forum for member states of the Commonwealth of Nations, attended by policymakers and experts.

Kenya and other Commonwealth countries have agreed on a raft of measures to modernize their education systems, the official said.

He said provision of quality and affordable education for the youth was key to accelerating socio-economic renewal in developing countries.

"We need to scale up investments in the education sector and initiate radical reforms to ensure it focuses on equality, lifelong learning and relevance to the job market," said Matiangi.

The Kenyan constitution obliges the state to provide free and compulsory basic education to every child.

Matiangi said the government had increased budgetary allocation towards modernization of learning facilities countrywide. Endit