Embakasi East Member of Parliament (MP), Babu Owino, has once again captured national attention with his free online mathematics revision classes for KCSE 2025 candidates. The sessions, streamed live on platforms like Facebook and YouTube, aim to help students tackle one of the most challenging subjects in the national exams.
The initiative, announced for every Saturday and Sunday at 7:30 pm, immediately went viral, generating a massive response from the public, ranging from deep gratitude to sharp criticism. One previous YouTube class, covering Maths Paper 1 and 2, drew a large digital crowd, logging 26,000 views and receiving numerous likes from happy users.
Overall public reaction online was sharply divided, reflecting the mixed feelings Kenyans have about a politician taking on an educational role.
Many students and parents welcomed the free tutorials, highlighting the lack of accessible, quality support for the subject.
Netizens expressed thanks for the non-costly extra tuition.“Thanks God bless you,” wrote one user, @AlexMusila-fk3hl.
Another user praised the MP’s intellectual capability, acknowledging his Actuarial Science background: “Brilliant mind.”
The initiative also faced immediate backlash from commentators who questioned the MP’s motives and methods.
Comedian Mammito Eunice publicly criticised the move, posting a popular pull quote:
“Why not pay teachers to do that???? He Worked In This & Previous Government And Didn’t Do Anything On Education So That He Can Show Off He Knows BODMAS Every End Of Year!!”
Others, including Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai, mirrored this sentiment, suggesting that the MP was using the classes for political gain or simply “to brag he knows algebra.”
Despite his academic credentials, the MP’s teaching methods were scrutinised. Some viewers in the live comments quickly pointed out mistakes during the sessions.
A user named @DennisMutugi-b4b1r stated: “Brilliant mind some netizens corrected babu in the comment section claiming he did the math wrongly.”
Another viewer directly challenged a specific error: “You made a mistake in the Question first, log question.”
While some viewers were lenient, treating it as an unscripted moment, others saw the oversight as a serious flaw in a high-stakes revision session.
Beyond the immediate reactions, the debate highlights the persistent challenges in Kenya’s education system as in recent KCSE cycles, more than half of candidates scored grades D and E in Mathematics.
The public debate, particularly Mammito’s critique, puts a spotlight on the broader systemic need for qualified and motivated teachers and better resources across the country.
For students with limited financial means, however, the sessions remain a vital, free resource to engage with challenging topics as the national exams approach.
