“Your thoughts always make me wonder whether you are a communication specialist or an education expert.”
These were the words of Dr Wycliffe Osabwa Ayieko, a lecturer at Alupe University, during a recent conversation.
He is not the only one who has posed that question. Some of my former colleagues at the Ministry of Education frequently asked whether I had studied Education at university.
“Where do you get all this information?” they would often ask.
Dr Ayieko was therefore not the first person to question my educational background. I understand why they asked. Many people assume that the only way to acquire knowledge worth sharing is through formal education and professional training.
I joined the Ministry of Education in early 2012, at a time when the sector was undergoing major reforms. The government was preparing to transition from the long-established 8-4-4 system to a new model. At the time, I had little understanding of what that change entailed.
I vividly remember hearing the phrase “Competency-Based Curriculum” for the first time during a public event in Miharati, Nyandarua County. The late Prof George Godia, then Permanent Secretary for Education, informed residents that the government was planning to introduce a competency-based approach to education.
His remarks sparked my curiosity.
How would this new system differ from 8-4-4?
Determined to find answers, I began engaging education experts at Jogoo House, the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), and the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC). I also sought views from teachers, parents and students on various education issues. Whenever I wanted to understand matters from a learner’s perspective, I consulted my own children. Beyond these conversations, I searched for information online and purchased books on education from Nairobi’s street vendors.
My curiosity extended to areas such as curriculum planning, syllabus development, curriculum design, learning materials and implementation. These concepts frequently surfaced during discussions among education technocrats and quickly captured my interest.
I constantly sought clarification from experts, asking them not only to explain these concepts but also to demonstrate their relevance to learners, who, from a communication perspective, are the primary audience.
I listened attentively as education specialists deliberated on policy issues, current challenges and long-term plans in boardrooms. More importantly, I pursued independent learning by consulting knowledgeable individuals, reading policy documents and studying relevant literature.
Over time, this approach enabled me to develop a practical understanding of the various dimensions of education. Consequently, whenever policymakers made public statements, I could place their remarks within the appropriate context and effectively prepare press statements, speeches and opinion articles.
The visible work of a public relations practitioner—my preferred title over public communication practitioner—is twofold. First, it involves telling the organisation’s story to the people it serves. Second, it entails communicating public sentiments back to the organisation.
A PR professional interprets the organisation’s actions and policies to the public while also helping management understand the attitudes, concerns and expectations of stakeholders.
These responsibilities are fulfilled through research, feedback mechanisms and evaluation. Such processes enable practitioners to identify public concerns and advise leadership accordingly.
For this reason, a communication professional must thoroughly understand the vision, purpose and operations of the organisation or sector they represent.
The founding father of modern public relations, Ivy Ledbetter Lee, argued that public relations professionals exist to advise organisations on public actions and communicate those actions in ways that people can easily understand.
One of the simplest explanations of public relations is that it involves finding out what people like about an organisation and encouraging management to do more of it, while identifying what they dislike and advising leaders to address those concerns.
The profession therefore demands continuous thinking, analysis and interpretation of public opinion, accompanied by a responsibility to advise leadership on gaps in service delivery and public expectations.
Publicity alone cannot repair damaged public perception if the underlying policies or actions remain unpopular. Sustainable public trust is built through sound policies and responsive leadership.
Communication specialists often work closely with policymakers and technical experts. In doing so, they naturally acquire substantial knowledge about the issues occupying policymakers’ minds.
At the State Department for Basic Education, I was fortunate to work with experienced officers who willingly helped me understand the sector’s challenges.
I frequently visited their offices to discuss policy issues, emerging challenges and crises. I also sought explanations for matters that seemed unclear or potentially problematic.
Two former Quality Assurance and Standards Officers, Mr Majani Baridi and Mr Edwin Charles Oloo, both now retired, significantly influenced my understanding of educational materials.
They explained that textbooks are primarily designed for learners rather than teachers.
“Exclusive reliance on textbooks by teachers, without consulting other sources of information, is not ideal,” they told me.
That insight left a lasting impression.
Former Deputy Director of Education Onesimus Kiminza and his colleague in Policy and Partnerships, Elijah Mungai, helped me understand why the government reduced primary education from eight years to six under the Competency-Based Education framework.
In my view, this remains one of the most significant reforms introduced under the new system, although it requires exceptional implementation to succeed as it has in countries such as South Africa, England, South Korea, Israel and Canada.
I was equally fascinated by discussions surrounding official class hours, which informed what later became Section 84 of the Basic Education Regulations, 2015.
Education experts proposed that formal learning should run between 8.00 a.m. and 3.30 p.m., with a maximum of six teaching hours per day.
When I asked why the Ministry had specified classroom hours, former Quality Assurance Officer Fidels Nakhulo explained that educational systems worldwide establish learning-hour limits to safeguard learners from fatigue and excessive academic pressure.
School financing was another area that attracted my attention, particularly during the task force on education financing chaired by Dr Kilemi Mwiria and appointed by then Education Cabinet Secretary Prof Jacob Kaimenyi.
At the time, school fees had become a major public concern.
Two young economists, Philip Kinaro and Polycarp Otieno, helped me appreciate the rationale behind the task force’s decision to cap annual fees at Sh53,000 for national schools and Sh40,000 for other boarding secondary schools.
Initially, I was sceptical. Some schools were charging as much as Sh90,000, excluding government capitation.
The economists argued that teacher salaries—the largest cost component in education—were already being covered by the government, except for teachers employed by Boards of Management.
“But how will schools cope with Board of Management teachers?” I asked.
They maintained that with government capitation and reasonable household contributions, schools could operate effectively.
Looking back, they may have had a valid argument. School principals today consistently maintain that if the government fully disbursed the promised capitation of Sh22,244 per learner annually, most secondary schools would comfortably manage curriculum delivery and administrative operations.
Ultimately, my understanding of education did not come from formal training in the field. It emerged from curiosity, continuous learning and countless conversations with experts willing to share their knowledge.
That curiosity remains one of the most valuable tools any communication professional can possess.
previous post
