Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba told Parliament this week that the government can no longer fully support free learning in public schools due to lack of funds.
His statement shocked many Kenyans and raised fears that millions of children could be pushed out of school.
“We cannot say education is still free,” said CS Ogamba.
“The money we have is not enough to run schools properly.”
The free primary education programme was introduced in 2003 by the late President Mwai Kibaki.
In 2008, the government also started free secondary education. Since then, the programme has helped millions of children attend school without paying fees.
Mr. Ogamba said that the amount of money the government gives to each school is too low. For every secondary student, the government gives about KSh 22,240 per year, and for each primary pupil, it gives KSh 1,420.
However, schools actually need much more—about KSh 28,000 for a secondary student and KSh 65,000 for a primary learner.
This shortage has left many schools without enough money to buy learning materials, pay staff, or even maintain buildings. Some schools have started asking parents to pay extra money to cover costs.
The Education Ministry is now working on a new system where both the government and parents will share the cost of education. The proposal includes targeting help only to vulnerable and poor students.
“We’ve suggested a new model to the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms,” said the CS.
Many Members of Parliament are unhappy with this plan. They fear it will affect poor families who cannot afford to pay school fees.
Kilifi North MP Owen Baya said, “We must protect free education. The answer is not to remove it but to increase the education budget.”
Kibra MP Peter Orero added that schools in rural and hardship areas should get more support than those in urban centers.
“Not all schools have the same needs,” Orero said.
“We need fair funding for all.”
Teachers’ unions have also raised concerns. KUPPET Secretary-General Akello Misori said that schools are under pressure and many are in debt. Some have increased fees to stay open.
KNUT Secretary-General Collins Oyuu warned that ending free education could lower the number of children going to school and hurt the country’s progress.
“We should not make decisions that harm our children’s future,” said Oyuu.
Parents across the country are worried that they may not be able to afford their children’s education if the government pulls out.
Members of Parliament have told the Education Ministry to prepare a clear plan to fix the funding issue and keep children in school. They warned against rushing into changes without public discussion.
The government has promised to bring the new proposals to Parliament for debate before any final decision is made.
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