The National Treasury has allocated Ksh29.7 billion to the education sector ahead of school reopening for the third term. This will be a big boost as schools prepare to reopen on August 26. Additionally, state-funded public institutions in the State Department for University Education and Tertiary and Technical Education have received Ksh24.6 billion and Ksh8.1 billion, respectively, to improve infrastructure.
The State Department of Basic Education scooped the lion’s share, with Ksh21.8 billion allocated for support to various education initiatives. Out of this, Ksh1.6 billion has been set aside for FPE in the third term, which forms an important boost to primary schools countrywide. Additionally, Ksh14.1 billion has been reserved for Free Day Secondary Education, with Ksh6.1 billion set for Junior Secondary Education, also for the third term.
This timely allocation relieves many schools that have been struggling with delayed disbursements. In some cases, schools receive the capitation late and had even resulted in loans to sustain daily operations. The new funds will ease these pressures on them so that the schools can just focus on education delivery.
The sector also benefited from an enhanced budgetary allocation to Ksh7.9 billion, comprising support to the tune of Ksh5.1 billion to the Education Loans Board, hence facilitating continuous access to the students in the students’ loan schemes. Another Ksh2.8 billion was set aside to grant the Universities Fund Board for the faculty and staff in higher education institutions.
This is a critical injection that should help stabilize the education sector as the third term gets underway. It underlines the government’s commitment to ensuring all basic and higher education institutions have the capacity to effectively run their operations and be able to meet the expectations of students from across the country.