In a rare public admission, Kenya’s Treasury and Education Cabinet Secretaries told Parliament on 24 July 2025 that the government cannot continue with free primary and secondary education. This marks a historic policy shift.
A fiscal alarm sounded
Treasury CS John Mbadi said rising enrollment and tight fiscal conditions have made the free education promise unsustainable. He revealed a cut in secondary capitation grants: from KSh 22,244 to about KSh 16,900 per pupil. At the same hearing, Education CS Julius Ogamba concurred, warning that existing support is simply no longer viable.
The gap in funding
Parents are already footing up to half of school operational costs as public funding falls behind swelling enrollment and rising expenses. “Parents are already subsidizing public education by contributing over fifty per cent of operational costs,” explained Elijah Bonyo, a children’s budget expert with World Vision Kenya.
What officials said
Mbadi explained: “Let us not lie to ourselves that as a country we can fully finance school education” under current revenue streams. Ogamba added that funding rates have remained static over several years despite growing student numbers and the system is now overwhelmed.
Pressure on households rises
From the next academic year, parents may have to pay exam fees unless deemed “needy” under a new subsidy model. This replaces the universal fee waiver introduced a decade ago. Ogamba also hinted at cost-sharing strategies to plug budget gaps and keep schools running.
Voices of concern
MPs voiced alarm. Rebecca Tonkei asked: “How free is education if schools run on reduced funds?” She warned that administrators are already under pressure and may be forced to charge fees to survive. Clive Gesairo said it’s “a serious gap in planning” that debts to schools remain unaccounted for.
What lies ahead
Treasury has proposed KSh 702.7 billion for education in the 2025/26 budget, yet capitation gaps persist: KSh 7 billion for primary and KSh 51.9 billion for free day secondary schools. Junior secondary, TVET, exams, and school feeding also feature in the allocation.
Scrutiny now shifts to Parliament and policymakers. The promise of free education, a pillar of Kenya’s post‑2003 reform, now hangs in the balance. Parents may soon shoulder a larger share of schooling costs. Public debate over cost-sharing models and urgent fiscal reform is already underway.
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