A major crisis looms over the Kenya National Examinations Council following the announcement of a recent budget cut by the National Treasury. Education stakeholders admit the cut will mainly affect administering national exams, causing jitters among hundreds of thousands of candidates set to sit for exams in October and November.
Budget Cuts and Their Implications
National Treasury Guidelines
The National Treasury published guidelines that mandated Ministries, Departments, Agencies, the Judiciary, Parliament, Constitutional Commissions, and Independent Offices to review revenue and expenditure estimates for the Financial Year 2024/25. With respect to a July 5 circular by the Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u, the following areas either have a cut or a reduction in their budgets; of these 24, had examination and invigilation fees cut by 100 percent.
Funding Gap
Additional revenue measures for the FY 2024/25 budget were to be financed by Sh344.3 billion as contained in the Finance Bill 2024, which President William Ruto rejected. That created a financing gap of a similar amount, necessitating a revision of budget estimates for FY 2024/25. The changes will then be regularized in the FY 2024/25 Supplementary Estimates No. 1.
What was rejected in the Finance Bill was Sh5 billion awarded to Knec as an exam waiver fee. The cuts shocked many stakeholders in education, as Knec has been operating with huge deficits in the budget; despite an annual presentation of its programs of activities before the National Assembly.
Impact on Examinations
Administration Challenges
Experts now fear the budget cut may complicate the process of administering exams, as Knec is mandated to facilitate the smooth running of KCSE, KPSEA, and other assessments; however, the budget cuts directly impacts these processes, especially with a need for thousands of invigilators.
One expert revealed anonymously that Knec has been receiving a flat rate for exams of Sh5 billion every financial year. The amount has not changed despite a rise in the number of candidates and other critical needs, which cause operational challenges.
Per Capita Funding
It puzzled experts why the per capita funding principle used in the disbursement of funds, including even distribution of textbooks to learners, was not used in funding exams. This is a principle that does consider the number of enrollment to learning institutions, yet it’s not used in exam funds. Knec has operated in a deficit since the year 2017, with an Auditor General putting the deficit at Sh3.8 billion in the audited accounts.
Government’s Role
Since 2016, the government has been providing the fee to all candidates enrolled in public and private schools. This move was meant to ensure there is no learner who fails sitting national examinations. In the current year’s KCSE registration exercise, the government subsidized the exam fees by all students except those re-taking exams, non-Kenyans, and private candidates registering in sub-county private examination centers.
Stakeholder Reactions
Expert Concerns
Experts are disappointed by the budget cuts that come when the Knec should be fully facilitated to deliver this year’s exams and provide funds for invigilators. The timing could not have been worse, one expert complained, stating that the communication from the current government should have been at the start of the year, so that it doesn’t create a crisis and stir anxiety.
KNUT’s Position
It is feared most of candidates might miss sitting for national examinations. Hesbon Otieno, the Deputy Secretary-General of the Kenya National Union of Teachers, has said that this would have devastating effects on both parents and learners. He added the examinations burden will revert to the parents and that it’s going to be enormous challenges.
Treasury’s Austerity Measures
According to Treasury CS Ndung’u in the circular, the government shall enforce expenditure control through leading by example in instituting austerity measures on operations and maintenance provisions across all MDAs, including semi-autonomous Government agencies.