PS Bitok under fire for 'mishandling' education docket

Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok is progressively finding himself at the centre of a storm as criticism over his leadership continues to grow. 

From accusations of engaging in politics while schools grapple with a wave of unrest and tragedy, to criticism from governors, MPs and civil society groups, the PS is facing the toughest scrutiny of his tenure.

The growing pressure comes at a time when concerns over school safety, student unrest and the management of the education sector are under intense public scrutiny.

Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii accused Bitok of neglecting his responsibilities, spending more time traversing the country and engaging in political activities instead of addressing issues affecting schools.

"The President should fire him. Instead of standing with the government and families affected by school fire tragedies, he is moving around focusing on campaigns for his gubernatorial seat aspirations," Bii said.

The governor also faulted Bitok over remarks suggesting that teachers and school administrators should negotiate with learners who are reluctant to sit exams, saying such an approach has never been part of the education system.

The criticism comes against the backdrop of the tragic dorm fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil that claimed the lives of 16 students.

Like many senior government officials, Bitok visited the school following the tragedy. However, his subsequent trip to Baringo sparked debate after reports emerged that he participated in political events while the country was still mourning the loss of the students.

On the day Parliament paused House business and observed a moment of silence for the victims, Bitok was in Baringo alongside local leaders, including Baringo North MP Joseph Makilap, Mosop MP Julius Ruto and Kuresoi North MP Alfred Mutai.

Earlier in the day, MPs had paused House proceedings to discuss the tragedy and honour the learners who perished in the fire.

Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo informed the House of the tragedy and requested members to observe a moment of silence in honour of the victims.

Speaker Moses Wetang'ula agreed, describing the incident as heartbreaking and offering condolences to the affected families.

Meanwhile, in Baringo, Bitok joined leaders on a visit to Loruk Primary School, which had been affected by rising water levels. During public engagements, he urged residents to support President William Ruto's re-election and also campaigned for Makilap's return to Parliament.

His critics argue that the optics were unfortunate, coming at a time when the nation was mourning and questions about school safety were dominating public discourse.

Bitok has also come under fire for comments he made on student unrest. As cases of school strikes and tension in learning institutions continue to be reported, the PS has advocated dialogue rather than confrontation.

"We have told principals and teachers not to force children to do exams. If they are not ready and exams are creating tension, talk to them and negotiate," he said.

He argued that only a small fraction of the country's 3.2 million learners were involved in unrest and maintained that learning remained largely uninterrupted in most schools.

"We are not going to interfere with the school calendar because of a few students. We cannot accept being distracted by a few criminal students engaging in bad activities," he said.

However, even as the government insists the situation is under control, more schools have reported unrest, with some institutions temporarily closing to contain tensions.

Teachers' unions have also expressed concern. In Kakamega, Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) officials called for an early mid-term break, arguing that it could help ease pressure in schools.

This is not the first time Bitok has found himself under the spotlight.

Earlier this year, MPs questioned the Ministry's handling of key policy issues during a legislative retreat in Naivasha.

National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah delivered one of the sharpest critiques. "You (Ogamba) have the most clueless PS in the ministry. He only sits in Nairobi and has no idea what is happening on the ground," he told Education CS Julius Ogamba, who appeared before them.

Ichung'wah challenged the PS to leave the comfort of his office and spend more time understanding the realities facing schools across the country.

Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba backed the criticism and called for decisive action against both the CS and the PS.

Questions have also been raised about Bitok's relationship with Parliament.

In February, he failed to appear before the National Assembly's Education Committee at the scheduled time to present budget proposals, forcing lawmakers to reschedule the session.

When he eventually appeared before the committee later that day, he apologised and blamed the incident on a communication breakdown.

"There was a miscommunication and I take responsibility for what happened. I am very sorry to the committee because Parliament is a serious institution and we had no intention of disrespecting its summons," he said.

Last week, the Consumers Federation of Kenya (Cofek) formally petitioned the Public Service Commission seeking Bitok's removal from office, citing alleged gross misconduct, incompetence, abuse of office, violations of public finance management principles and conduct unbecoming of a State officer.

Cofek argued that the Constitution provides a clear framework for the removal of a PS and urged the commission to act. "The children of Kenya deserve better than a PS who presides over a department drowning in rot."