The National Assembly’s Committee on Education has raised concerns that the quality of education in the country could go down following the reduction of Ksh8.8 billion from the Ministry budget.

The cuts, the committee heard, will affect critical areas such as capitation funds for secondary schools, Junior Schools and primary schools.

Further, the committee is also warning that another Ksh30 billion slashed from the Ministry of Education ought to be available to be able to fund critical areas that were affected.

Committee chairperson and Tinderet MP Julius Melly told the Budget and Appropriations Committee that is receiving submissions on budget estimates that there is a need for the money to be available to ensure that learners continue to be in school.

Funding policies

“The resource challenge is an indication that learners at various levels are not adequately funded as expected based on existing policies on funding. This may in the long run affect the quality of education delivered in our learning institutions hence negatively affecting education outcomes,” he said.

“The committee notes the huge deviation of the proposed budget to the department compared to the approved budget ceilings under the Budget Policy Statement 2025. This has had a negative impact mainly in terms of resources available for capitation for learners at various levels. These will affect the operations in the schools as a result of budget constraints,” he added.

According to documents he presented before BAC chaired by Alego Usonga MP Samuel Atandi, secondary, junior and primary schools’ capitation funds slashed by Ksh5.9 billion that had been earmarked for examination and invigilation.

Melly said that examinations are a national security matter and funding needs to be provided since it is a predictable activity.

“The committee is concerned by the complete lack of funding for examination invigilation and management in 2025/2026 creating anxiety among education stakeholders. In the current financial year funding for examinations was done as an emergency under the supplementary budget provisions,” he said.

The reductions include Ksh3 billion from the secondary school capitation kitty, Ksh2 billion from junior school capitation and Ksh900 million from primary school capitation.

University Education for government-sponsored students in private universities has suffered reductions of Ksh1.3 billion due to a lack of information from the State Department for Higher Education on the number of government-sponsored students in the private universities despite the Education committee saying that allocation to student-centred areas- capitation, loans and scholarships- are not adequately funded.

“The critical resource gaps in the sector need to be addressed to ensure that the various reforms envisaged in the sector are realized and the gains made towards education for all are not eroded,” Melly said.

In the 2025/26 fiscal period, the Education sector which includes State Departments for Basic Education, Higher Education, Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVETs), Science, Innovation and Research (SIR) and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has been allocated Ksh702 billion.