Former students could soon have a formal role in the management of public schools if proposed changes to Kenya’s education laws become law.
The Basic Education Bill, 2025, seeks to introduce alumni representation in school Boards of Management (BOMs), giving former students a recognised place in the governance of their former schools.
The proposal forms part of a wider review of Kenya’s basic education governance framework.
Smaller school boards proposed
One of the major changes proposed under the Bill is the reduction of the size of school Boards of Management.
Public school boards currently have 17 members. The proposed law seeks to reduce this number to nine.
The government argues that smaller boards would reduce administrative costs while making decision-making more efficient.
Education Director General Elyas Abdi told Members of Parliament that maintaining large boards comes with additional costs, including sitting allowances and other operational expenses.
Under the proposed framework, the smaller boards would continue overseeing key aspects of school management, including school resources, learner welfare, staffing needs and recruitment of non-teaching staff.
Alumni to gain a formal voice
The inclusion of alumni is one of the proposals likely to attract significant attention.
Former students often remain connected to their schools through alumni associations, fundraising initiatives, mentorship programmes and development projects.
Giving alumni a place within school governance would provide a formal channel through which their experience, professional networks and contribution to school development could be incorporated into decision-making.
The proposal also signals a shift towards giving schools a stronger connection with their former students.
Changes to school governance
The proposed reforms go beyond the composition of school boards.
The Basic Education Bill, 2025 seeks to replace the Basic Education Act, 2013, with a new legal framework designed to address gaps and overlaps identified in the current education system.
The Bill also proposes changes to the relationship between school heads and the Ministry of Education.
Under the proposed arrangement, school heads would remain employees of the Teachers Service Commission but would also serve as accounting officers and agents of the Ministry in managing school resources.
This would create a clearer financial and administrative reporting structure between schools and the Ministry.
The government says the arrangement would help address challenges involving school finances, accountability and unauthorised charges.
More changes proposed
The Bill also proposes changes to other education governance structures.
Among the proposals is the abolition of the National Education Board, with the government arguing that its functions overlap with those of the Cabinet Secretary.
The Bill also proposes replacing the Education Standards and Quality Assurance Council with a Directorate of Schools Inspectorate, giving inspectors stronger enforcement responsibilities.
It further seeks to clarify the respective responsibilities of the national and county governments in basic education.
What the changes could mean for schools
If enacted, the proposed reforms would significantly alter how public schools are governed.
For alumni, the proposed representation would provide an opportunity to participate directly in decisions affecting their former schools.
For schools, reducing the size of Boards of Management could result in leaner governance structures and lower administrative costs.
The proposals are contained in the Basic Education Bill, 2025, and therefore represent proposed changes rather than rules already in force. Parliament's consideration and the eventual legislative process will determine which provisions become law.
The proposed inclusion of alumni is likely to generate particular interest among school alumni associations across the country, many of which already play an active role in supporting infrastructure development, mentorship, scholarships and other school programmes.
