A United Front for Reform: Kenya’s Education Stakeholders Forge a New Path Forward

By John Kariuki

Kenya’s education sector has taken a bold step toward unified transformation with the formation of the Education Stakeholders Association of Kenya (ESAK), a newly established national alliance designed to address systemic challenges through shared purpose, collective action, and grounded reform.

Bringing together professional associations, grassroots movements, and sectoral interest groups from across the country, ESAK is positioning itself as the most formidable coalition yet to champion educational advancement, social equity, and policy accountability. Its formation comes at a time when teachers, learners, and communities are grappling with unresolved challenges tied to the Competency Based Curriculum rollout, infrastructure gaps, teacher shortages, inequitable resource allocation, and insufficient inclusion in policymaking.

ESAK's leadership structure reflects Kenya’s diverse education landscape. The association’s chairmanship is held by a representative from a prominent national headteachers’ organization, ensuring broad oversight and policy insight. The vice chair is drawn from a network representing educators trained in visual learning techniques. The secretariat includes officials from teachers working in hardship areas, while the deputy secretary represents a grassroots teacher empowerment cluster from Awendo. KEWOTA, the Kenya Women Teachers Association, plays a pivotal role in financial stewardship, serving as the national treasurer of the federation.

Together, this leadership team underscores ESAK’s commitment to equity, grassroots voice, and strategic collaboration.

KEWOTA’s involvement is particularly significant. Long known for its transformative work in promoting women’s leadership in education, financial empowerment through digital table banking, mental health initiatives, and inclusive capacity-building, KEWOTA brings a wealth of proven solutions and nationwide reach to the table. Its Chief Executive Officer, Ms Benter Opande, now a key player in ESAK’s strategic planning, has been instrumental in shaping the alliance’s direction and laying the groundwork for collective success.

At a recent strategic retreat, ESAK members conducted a deep dive into the structural weaknesses affecting education delivery in Kenya. The outcome was a renewed commitment to long-term reforms grounded in grassroots realities rather than boardroom assumptions. Teacher representatives were not only invited but actively engaged in shaping the initial ESAK roadmap, signaling a shift toward more inclusive, practical, and responsive policy action.

As ESAK moves closer to its official public launch, the alliance is finalizing its comprehensive work plan. Among its priorities are harmonizing teacher welfare frameworks, bridging urban-rural resource disparities, fostering innovation in school leadership, and building linkages with government to enhance accountability.

The rise of ESAK also signals the growing influence of organizations like KEWOTA, which has led advocacy for teacher dignity, better working conditions, and women’s empowerment within the profession. KEWOTA’s financial stewardship role within ESAK reflects both its organizational maturity and its commitment to transparency and sustainability.

This alliance represents more than another forum—it is a new movement in education. With ESAK, Kenya is witnessing the rise of an unprecedented education collective—one that speaks with clarity, acts with unity, and serves with purpose.

As stakeholders across the country rally behind ESAK’s mission, one thing is certain: the future of education in Kenya will no longer be decided by a few but shaped by the many who live it every day in classrooms, staffrooms, and communities.

The journey to transform Kenya’s education system has begun. And ESAK is leading from the front.