The government has reassigned Julius Bitok from the State Department for Basic Education to the State Department for Tourism in a fresh reshuffle announced by Head of Public Service Felix Koskei.
According to the official statement, Bitok will swap positions with John Lekakeny Ololtuaa, who previously served as Principal Secretary for Tourism and will now take charge of the Basic Education docket.
The changes take effect immediately.
Bitok’s tenure at Basic Education was relatively brief, having assumed the role in March 2025 after exchanging positions with Belio Kipsang, who moved to the Immigration Department.
The reassignment comes at a critical time for the education sector, which has recently faced increased scrutiny following a series of student unrest incidents and school closures in different parts of the country.
Ololtuaa takes over the education docket as the government works to restore stability in affected learning institutions and address concerns about school safety and discipline.
One of Bitok’s final major pronouncements as Basic Education PS came on June 4, 2026, when he dismissed calls for an unscheduled mid-term break despite unrest in some schools.
“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,” he stated.
The latest changes are part of ongoing administrative adjustments within government as President William Ruto seeks to strengthen service delivery across key sectors.
Education stakeholders will now be keenly watching how Ololtuaa addresses the challenges facing schools, while the tourism sector will look to Bitok to drive growth and recovery in one of Kenya’s most important economic industries.
