In a strongly worded statement released on Wednesday, January 14, the United Green Movement (UGM) Party leader said Kenya’s education reforms have failed learners, teachers, and parents, warning that the current trajectory is pushing children into despair instead of empowering them.
“Access to education must mean more than enrolment,” Maraga said.
“It must include retention, progression and completion with dignity. No child should ever feel that self-harm is their only escape from academic failure.”
Maraga accused the government of prioritising lofty initiatives such as Digital Literacy and the Silicon Savannah narrative while ignoring harsh realities in public schools.
He noted that nearly half of public junior secondary schools lack science laboratories, while many continue to operate without electricity.
According to the former Chief Justice, innovation cannot thrive in institutions that lack basic infrastructure, warning that technology-driven reforms risk widening inequality if rolled out without proper planning.
“Technology can support learning, but it cannot replace teachers, classrooms or essential learning resources,” he said.
“Without infrastructure, teacher training, local relevance and equity safeguards, digital tools will only deepen existing gaps.”
Maraga called for an education reset anchored on the Constitution and guided by common sense, saying the CBC rollout has been disconnected from the lived realities of ordinary Kenyan families.
He particularly criticised leaders who impose reforms on public schools while educating their own children in private institutions, describing the practice as unfair and out of touch.
“Reforms designed by leaders who do not experience the system they govern cannot work,” he said.
The former Chief Justice also faulted what he termed an obsession with grades rather than meaningful learning outcomes, arguing that the system produces learners who memorise content but lack critical thinking and life skills.
He cited abnormal grading patterns, including a disproportionately high number of “Ds” compared to “Cs”, as evidence of systemic failure rather than learner weakness.
In his broader assessment of the education sector, Maraga pointed to chronic underfunding, corruption and poor planning, saying Kenya is grappling with a shortage of more than 100,000 teachers, overcrowded classrooms and crumbling infrastructure.
He revealed that annual government funding per primary school learner has dropped by about 45 per cent — from approximately Ksh22,244 to Ksh12,870 — even as the country spends more than Ksh1.9 trillion annually on debt servicing, accounting for over 75 per cent of national revenue.
Maraga argued that the crisis is not due to a lack of resources but misplaced priorities, accusing the government of choosing debt accumulation, inflated contracts and corruption over investing in classrooms, teachers and learners.
“This is not an education crisis by accident,” he said.
“It is a crisis by choice.”
According to the former Chief Justice, innovation cannot thrive in institutions that lack basic infrastructure, warning that technology-driven reforms risk widening inequality if rolled out without proper planning.
“Technology can support learning, but it cannot replace teachers, classrooms or essential learning resources,” he said.
“Without infrastructure, teacher training, local relevance and equity safeguards, digital tools will only deepen existing gaps.”
Maraga called for an education reset anchored on the Constitution and guided by common sense, saying the CBC rollout has been disconnected from the lived realities of ordinary Kenyan families.
He particularly criticised leaders who impose reforms on public schools while educating their own children in private institutions, describing the practice as unfair and out of touch.
“Reforms designed by leaders who do not experience the system they govern cannot work,” he said.
The former Chief Justice also faulted what he termed an obsession with grades rather than meaningful learning outcomes, arguing that the system produces learners who memorise content but lack critical thinking and life skills.
He cited abnormal grading patterns, including a disproportionately high number of “Ds” compared to “Cs”, as evidence of systemic failure rather than learner weakness.
In his broader assessment of the education sector, Maraga pointed to chronic underfunding, corruption and poor planning, saying Kenya is grappling with a shortage of more than 100,000 teachers, overcrowded classrooms and crumbling infrastructure.
He revealed that annual government funding per primary school learner has dropped by about 45 per cent — from approximately Ksh22,244 to Ksh12,870 — even as the country spends more than Ksh1.9 trillion annually on debt servicing, accounting for over 75 per cent of national revenue.
Maraga argued that the crisis is not due to a lack of resources but misplaced priorities, accusing the government of choosing debt accumulation, inflated contracts and corruption over investing in classrooms, teachers and learners.
“This is not an education crisis by accident,” he said.
“It is a crisis by choice.”
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