Fred Matiang’i, the former "Super CS" known for his no-nonsense approach to governance, has broken his silence with a scathing critique of Kenya’s education sector. In a speech that dismantled the government’s development narrative, Matiang’i warned that the "Singapore Dream" is impossible without a radical fix to the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) and university funding models.

"You cannot build a first-world economy on a third-world education system," Matiang’i declared. He pointed out the disconnect between the government's industrialization goals and the quality of graduates entering the market.

The Crisis of Quality

Matiang’i, who once helmed the Education docket, argued that the current transition to university is chaotic. He cited the new funding model, which categorizes students by "need," as a bureaucratic nightmare that is locking poor students out of higher education.

• The STEM Deficit: To emulate Singapore, Kenya needs engineers and tech innovators. Instead, Matiang’i noted, the system is churning out graduates in saturated arts fields because STEM courses are too expensive for universities to run without adequate state capitation.
• Teacher Morale: He also touched on the Junior Secondary School (JSS) crisis, where interns are teaching without resources. "A demoralized teacher cannot inspire a brilliant child," he said.

A Political Undertone?

While framed as policy advice, Matiang’i’s intervention is being read as a political signal. By attacking the government's soft underbelly—education costs—he is aligning himself with the frustrations of millions of parents. The message is clear: Stop selling dreams and start fixing the classrooms.