Matiangi: The unpredictable master of ambush

Matiangi: The unpredictable master of ambush

Education Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i is the master of ambush. Like a skillful general, he brilliantly executes the third rule in the 48 Laws Power; conceal your intentions.

On Tuesday, November 21, 2017, Dr. Matiang’i once again caught the country by surprise after announcing the release of the 2017 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination results while the country was coming to terms with the Supreme Court decision to uphold Uhuru Kenyatta’s re-election.

Not even the watchful fourth estate were 100% sure the results would be out today. A media invite for the event was sent out less than 30 minutes to the commencement of the ceremony.

Under Matiang’i’s tenure, the public has been forced to rely on leaked memos to know what is unfolding in his jurisdiction. In some cases, the memos turn out to be true, but after initial dismissal by Matiang’i and team.

Last year, Matiang’i released the 2016 KCPE results on December 1st, much earlier than expected by over three weeks. The country was used to a culture of having the Standard Eight exam results unveiled around December 23rd.

His surprises did not end there. As Kenyans were enjoying their 2016 Christmas and New Year festivities, Matiang’i once again struck at the least expected moment. On December 28, two months earlier, he released the 2016 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination results.

Even more stunning, he released the results at Shimo La Tewa High School in Mombasa at 2.30PM – breaking away from a tradition where exam results were mostly released from Nairobi during morning hours.

Impromptu visits

During national examination periods, Matiang’i was conducting surprise visits to examination centres as early as 5AM to ensure the process runs smoothly.

When it’s not an examination period, he takes the war against incompetency right to the schools. Matiang’i has been conducting impromptu visits to learning institutions with teachers and school officials being caught flat-footed slacking on the job.

The visits caused an uproar among teachers, but the CS stood his ground and defended the tours saying they provide him with an opportunity to know the state and environment in which teaching and learning takes place in schools.

A primary school head teacher in Mombasa was last year demoted for failure to account for funds during an impromptu visit by the good doctor.

Admission to schools

In a bid to ensure transparency in admission of students to secondary schools, Matiang’i scrapped the corruption-marred old system of secondary schools sending out admission letters and replaced it with an electronic, instantaneous system.

Candidates are now only required to go to the Education Ministry’s website and download their respective admission letters. This allows the ministry to closely monitor and regulate the admission of Form 1 students.

Interior Ministry

While at the Interior Ministry, Matiang’i gazetted October 25, 2017 as a public holiday hours after word had leaked but he denied it completely and even forced media houses to retract the stories before later confirming it. This came as a surprise to many, with the government explaining the move was meant to allow Kenyans travel and prepare to vote on October 26.

All in all, Dr Matiang’i has won many hearts for the unconventional, but largely successful measures he has employed in a bid to restore the lost glory of the country’s education system.

 

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Fred Matiang'i education ministry 2017 KCPE results Acting Interior CS Matiang'i's surprises Matiang’i: Unpredictable master of ambush

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