Kenya’s long-standing promise of free education is facing a financial reality check. The government has admitted it can no longer fully fund public primary and secondary education, citing overwhelming fiscal pressure.
Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, speaking before the National Assembly’s Education Committee on Thursday, revealed that the State has scaled back its capitation support for secondary schools. Instead of the full Ksh.22,000 per student initially allocated, the government is now only able to provide Ksh.16,600.
“If you look at the total budget for the year and divide it by the number of students, you’ll find that we’re funding around Ksh.16,000 per learner,” Mbadi explained. “We release it in tranches 50%, then 30%, and finally 20%. Is it enough? No, it isn’t.”
This shortfall is expected to shift the financial burden to parents, many of whom are already struggling with rising costs of living. The announcement comes as Kenya’s education system continues to reel from a string of controversies, including revelations of ghost schools siphoning off public funds and mounting debts within the ministry.
Members of Parliament expressed deep concern over the shifting responsibility to families and demanded greater transparency from the Treasury and Education ministries.
Luanda MP Dick Maungu directly confronted the recent scandal involving fictitious schools receiving public money. “Ghost schools have received money that wasn’t approved by this committee,” he said.
Teso South MP Mary Emasse echoed the outrage, adding, “We need answers. This situation is serious.”
“How can ghost schools receive funds under the watch of ministry directors?” asked Igembe North MP Julius Taitumu, pointing to a deeper failure of oversight.
Education Cabinet Secretary Migos Ogamba, who was present during the session, acknowledged the gravity of the accusations. “If money went to schools that do not exist, that is a criminal offence. Nobody can defend that,” he stated. “If it happened, the matter will be handed over to the DCI.”
Also under scrutiny was the recently introduced Kenya Education Management Information System (KEMIS), which is supposed to track and manage student data for capitation. Lawmakers questioned its reliability, noting that many students remain unregistered and are therefore excluded from government funding.
As Parliament pushes for answers, the future of free education appears increasingly uncertain. What was once a cornerstone of Kenya’s social policy now hangs in the balance weighed down by mismanagement, budget cuts, and shifting priorities.
