President William Ruto unveiled a list of 54 government officials who were going to fill various government dockets. One name that stood out on the list was Dr. Richard Belio Kipsang who was appointed Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Education. Interestingly, Kipsang served in the same position since 2013 in President Uhuru regime before he was transferred after he differed with the then Cabinet Secretary George Magoha.
Here is his career journey as told by WoK.
Background
Dr. Richard Belio Kipsang attended the University of Nairobi where he graduated with a Bachelors (Honours) degree in Education (Business and Economics). He pursued a Master of Arts degree in Economics at the same institution. He later joined the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) where he graduated with a PhD in Education (Educational Administration and Planning).
He has undergone professional training in prestigious institutions such as Harvard University in the United States, London School of Economics (LSE) in the United Kingdom and State University of New York in USA among other institutions in Kenya, Germany, Belgium, Thailand and Sweden.
Qualifications and Career
Dr. Kipsang is an Associate Member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners and a member of the Institute of Directors of Kenya. He has previously served as Managing Trustee/ Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Coffee Development Fund, Deputy CEO and Head of Operations Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) where he also previously served in various strategic management positions.
He is a Council Member at Mount Kenya University and Cooperative University College where he also Chairs Finance, Planning and Development. He is a board member Finance Alliance for Sustainable Trade (FAST), Council member Advisory Council for Coffee Initiative, Government Delegate International Coffee Organization (ICO) and Chair Operations Committee, Association of African Higher Education Financing Agencies (AAHEFA)
Tenure under Uhuru and Conflict with Magoha
Dr. Kipsang served as the Ministry of Education PS in 2013 during Uhuru Kenyatta presidency. He served under various CSs including Jacob Kaimenyi, Fred Matiang’i, Amina Mohammed and George Magoha. His tenure under Magoha was frosty at best, atleast according to People Daily.
The bad blood began in 2020 after the Public Service Commission (PSC) stripped off Magoha human resource management duties and assigned the powers to Belio Kipsang. This was after Magoha was caught on camera humiliating Uasin Gishu Education Director Gitonga Mbaka. Since then, publication reported that the relationship between the two went from bad to worse.
This led to Kipsang being transferred from Education to the Ministry of East African Community (EAC) to serve as the PS in charge of Regional and Northern Corridor Development in the State Department of Regional Development.
Achievements
He established the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS)
Gradual increase of capitation for learners in primary and secondary schools
Waiver of examination fees
Efficiency in administering national examinations
Timely release of results as well as placement of learners.
Appointed as Education Principal Secretary
On 2nd November 2022, President Ruto unveiled a list of new officials that would fill various government positions and Dr. Richard Belio Kipsang was appointed once again to become the Education PS. Kipsang will serve under CS Eziekel Machogu and is expected to oversee the review and implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculumn.
Other leaders who were battling for the Education PS job include Prof Laban Ayiro – the Vice Chancellor of Daystar University, Julius Jwan – the one who replaced Kipsang and Sarah Ruto – the outgoing Education Principal Secretary.
