Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba has sounded the alarm over a growing education crisis in Kenya, pointing to what she described as scarily high school dropout rates since the Kenya Kwanza government came into power.
Speaking during a panel discussion on a local TV station on Monday, May 26, 2025, she blamed the current administration’s economic policies for pushing many learners out of school and into a future of uncertainty.
“The dropout levels are scarily high since Kenya Kwanza took over,” she said. “We need to come up with a special program of reabsorption. You can’t keep a good brain idle in the village.”
Good brains going to waste
Wamuchomba emphasised the importance of tapping into the potential of young people who have fallen out of the education system. She warned that ignoring them could lead to increased social problems, including crime, drug abuse, and mental health issues.
“These young people are not failures. Many are bright and capable, but they’ve been failed by a system that no longer works for the poor,” she said.
Her remarks follow a series of reports indicating rising school absenteeism, especially in rural and marginalised areas. Parents have cited the high cost of living, the burden of school fees, and inadequate access to government bursaries as major obstacles.
The Githunguri legislator urged the Ministry of Education to move swiftly and launch a national re-absorption program aimed at reintegrating dropouts into vocational training institutions, technical colleges (TVETs), and community-based digital learning centres.
Such a program, she said, would provide not only education but also a sense of purpose for young people who feel abandoned by the system.
“It’s not just about putting them back in school. It’s about giving them direction, skills, and hope,” She stressed.
Mounting pressure on Kenya Kwanza
Although she is a member of the ruling coalition, Wamuchomba has increasingly taken a critical stance on issues affecting the common mwananchi. Her bold statements are expected to intensify pressure on President William Ruto’s administration to review its education and youth empowerment strategies.
Civil society groups and education experts have echoed her concerns, calling for urgent reforms to prevent the country from losing a generation of learners.
A national crisis in the making
As Kenyans continue to grapple with economic challenges, the crisis in education may become one of the most pressing tests of the Kenya Kwanza government’s leadership.
Wamuchomba’s remarks serve as a rallying cry for policymakers to act before Kenya’s future leaders become its forgotten ones.
