- Parents can now relax as Ksh 5.9 billion is restored for national exams.
- MP Julius Melly proposed budget cuts in school funding to cover the exams.
- Full budget needed is Ksh 11B, meaning there’s still a Ksh 5.1B gap.
- Treasury CS Mbadi said only needy students will get exam fee support.
- Leaders criticise the government for the earlier exam funding.
Parents whose children are preparing to sit for national exams this year — KPSEA, JSS, and KCSE — have something to smile about. The government has now reinstated Ksh 5.9 billion to support these national assessments after weeks of concern.
Julius Melly, the Chair of the Education Committee, confirmed on Monday that the money will be sourced from the schools’ capitation budget. He recommended that Ksh 3 billion be taken from secondary schools, Ksh 2 billion from junior secondary, and Ksh 900 million from primary schools to cover the exams.
Despite this move, the total exam funding required is Ksh 11 billion, which leaves a Ksh 5.1 billion shortfall still hanging.
Examinations are very important. If we don’t fund them properly, it affects how we run our education system,” Melly pointed out.
CS Mbadi Defends Cuts, MPs Fire Back
Earlier, Treasury CS John Mbadi explained that not all learners would benefit from free national exams anymore. He said only students from low-income families will be supported moving forward.
Mbadi insisted that this change is meant to reduce government spending and avoid piling on more public debt.
“We have to rethink how we use public money. If a parent pays hundreds of thousands for school fees in private schools, surely they can pay a few thousand for exams,” said Mbadi.
However, Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro hit back hard, calling it shameful for the government to ignore exam funding in the budget in the first place.
“It was careless not to set aside money for exams. It’s even worse that CS Mbadi tried to explain why,” Nyoro said during the session.
As exam season draws closer, more clarity is expected on how the remaining Ksh 5.1 billion gap will be addressed.
