Nairobi, Sept 8, 2025 – Education Principal Secretary (PS) Prof. Julius Bitok has sparked a storm within the teaching fraternity after threatening punitive action against educators and field officers who fail to submit or falsify school enrolment records.
Prof. Bitok, speaking during an online meeting with Regional, County, and Sub-County Directors of Education on Monday, warned that headteachers and Sub-County Directors who tampered with data risk dismissal. The Ministry is currently conducting a nationwide audit of enrolment numbers to unlock the release of capitation funds to schools.
“I want to call upon all the principals and all the sub-county directors of education who have not submitted data in the correct format to do so expeditiously, because it is that data that we are relying on to verify the number of students and ensure the right schools get their capitation,” Bitok said.
Union Leaders Push Back
The tough stance immediately drew fire from teachers’ unions, who accused the PS of overstepping his mandate.
Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Secretary-General Akello Misori dismissed Bitok’s threats as harassment.
“The PS has no mandate to sack teachers. That power rests with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC). He should stop intimidating teachers and instead engage them in a friendly and professional manner,” Misori said.
Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary-General Collins Oyuu echoed the concerns, reminding the PS that teachers are TSC employees.
“While we urge headteachers to submit enrolment data promptly because it is a government requirement, the PS must understand that disciplinary authority over teachers lies with TSC, not the Ministry,” Oyuu remarked.
Funds Delayed
The data verification exercise has already delayed the disbursement of school funds. According to Bitok, out of 22,000 schools countrywide, only 3,000 have received capitation so far. He defended the delay, saying only accurate enrolment records would ensure fair allocation of resources.
Misori, however, blamed the Ministry for poor planning.
“The Ministry should have collected this data during the school holidays to avoid ambushing teachers with last-minute demands that disrupt learning,” he said.
As schools reopen amid cash-flow constraints, pressure is mounting on the Ministry of Education to strike a balance between accountability in enrolment figures and collaboration with teachers.
