Sh100b more needed to fund basic education

Education PS Julius Bitok defended the Sh245.9 billion basic education budget saying some of the key projects have been grossly underfunded. [File, Standard] The Ministry of Education says it has a deficit of over Sh100 billion it requires to optimally fund basic education, the school feeding programme and national assessments. The Basic Education department indicates funding gaps may hinder proper delivery of their priority programmes including primary school capitation. Sh15 billion is required to cater for 6.4 million learners at Sh2,330 each, against the current Sh7 billion provision hence a funding gap of Sh8.6 billion. The implication is that 3.7 million learners will not receive capitation or all learners be funded at Sh1,096. Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok last week defended the Sh245.9 billion basic education budget saying some of the key projects have been grossly underfunded. "Collectively, the Education Ministry's budget has hit a historical annual high of above Sh700 billion. As I brought to the attention of the Education Committee, we still have a deficit of Sh111 billion to optimally fund basic education, especially the Free Primary Education," Prof Bitok told senators during the Senate assessment and planning retreat. The National Assembly Committee on Education report on scrutiny of the 2026 Budget Policy Statement (BPS) states that, despite the sector consistently receiving more than 25 per cent of the overall national budget in the last five years, implementation of various education programmes has persistently been undertaken under a constrained resource environment hence the existence of budget gaps in critical areas within the sector. Tinderet MP Julius Melly, The Education Committee chairperson, subsequently presented the report to their Budget and Appropriations counterparts, with the PS submitting that the Department budget ceiling is proposed at Sh135 billion in Financial Year 2026/2027 to implement its four main programmes. For senior school capitation, Melly said at least 3.5 million learners should be catered for at Sh22,244 per learner amounting to Sh78.4 billion against a 54.8 billion provision, thus a funding gap of Sh23.5 billion. According to the Committee, the implication is that 1.1 million learners will not receive capitation or all learners are funded at Sh15,780. The education committee report has also shown that junior school capitation for 3.6 million learners at Sh15,042 per learner amounts to Sh54.7 billion against a Sh30.9 billion provision hence a funding gap of Sh23.8 billion. "The implication is that 1.6 million learners will not receive capitation or all learners are funded at Sh8,536," the Education Committee report states. For school meals programme, the report shows a funding gap of Sh850 million in order to reach out to 2.8 million needy learners in targeted areas. But only Sh3 billion has been provided against a requirement of Sh3.8 billion. For school examination and invigilation, a funding gap of Sh4.8 billion has been reported, with Sh9.9 billion provided against a requirement of Sh14.7 billion. School infrastructure has a funding gap of Sh1.4 billion to adequately support public primary and secondary schools, with Sh1.3 billion having been provided against a requirement of Sh2.8 billion. For State Department of Higher Education, Melly told the Budget Committee that, in the 2026/2027 financial year, its budget ceiling is proposed at Sh160 billion against a resource requirement of Sh312 billion. The department highlighted funding gaps which may hinder delivery of its priority programmes, which include gaps in resources provided for scholarships under the Universities Fund (UF) where the requirement for the 2026/27 year is Sh47 billion against an allocation of Sh18 billion to cater for the 656,927 eligible students. In addition, 2024/25 and 2025/26 financial years' allocation to scholarships had a funding gap of Sh22 billion. This brings the cumulative funding gap (24/25,25,26 and 26/27) to Sh51 billion.

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