President William Ruto’s administration has reassigned Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok to the State Department for Tourism in the latest government reshuffle, with Tourism PS John Lekakeny Ololtuaa taking over the education docket.
The changes were announced on Tuesday by Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, who said the reassignments took effect immediately.
Bitok leaves the education sector after serving as Principal Secretary for Basic Education since March 2025, when he swapped positions with Belio Kipsang, who moved to the State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services.
Ololtuaa assumes the Basic Education portfolio at a time when the government is facing mounting pressure to address a recent wave of student unrest that has disrupted learning in several schools across the country.
The disturbances have led to the closure of some institutions and prompted high-level consultations aimed at restoring stability in the education sector.
Bitok’s transfer comes amid growing scrutiny over the government’s handling of the unrest, which has affected nearly 200 schools in recent weeks.
Before his reassignment, Bitok dismissed calls for an unscheduled mid-term break, maintaining that learning had largely continued uninterrupted across the country.
“We have no plans for an unscheduled closure of schools. Learning is continuing normally in 99 percent of our schools, while only around 0.8 percent have experienced challenges. Our focus is on addressing issues in the affected institutions while ensuring that all learners continue with their education without disruption,” Bitok stated on June 4, 2026.
The reshuffle affects two key government departments and comes as the administration seeks to strengthen service delivery in both the education and tourism sectors.
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