CS Mbadi under fire for saying State can’t fully fund free education

The revelation by Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi that the government can no longer fully fund free education in public primary and secondary schools has angered education activists and stakeholders.

Appearing before the National Assembly Committee on Education on Thursday, Mbadi said the financial burden had become too heavy for the State to sustain, forcing a reduction in capitation funding.

He explained that the government could no longer manage the full capitation of Sh22,000 per secondary school student, and could only afford Sh16,600.

The Elimu Bora Working Group, through their Policy and Strategic Adviser Boaz Waruku, told the Eastleigh Voice on Friday that Mbadi’s revelation was unacceptable and should be rejected by all Kenyans.

“Mbadi’s statement is the biggest joke we have ever heard. We are keen to understand why this comes at the start of a new financial year and what the motive is,” said Waruku.

He questioned the timing of the announcement, given that the country has witnessed widespread wastage of taxpayers’ money through unexplained and dubious means within the government.

“We were recently told that the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) had achieved its target in tax collection. It is only fair to ask where all this money is going,” he added.

This development could force parents to dig deeper into their pockets at a time when the education sector is already mired in controversy, from ghost school scandals to unpaid debts and other challenges.

“If you look at the total budget for the year and divide it by the number of students, you’ll see that instead of Sh22,000, we are funding about Sh16,000. And so, we release 50 per cent, 30 per cent, then 20 per cent. Is it enough? It is not,” Mbadi admitted.

This means parents will now have to shoulder a greater share of the cost of their children’s education, sparking concern among MPs who are now demanding honesty and clarity from both the Education and Treasury ministries.

Education expert Amos Kaburu warned that cutting funding for free primary education would negatively affect learners from poor households who cannot afford school fees.

“This will have a big impact on education; from individual learners to households, schools and ultimately the nation,” he said.

Previous governments had prioritised policies and funding to expand access to education. In 2003, the government introduced a policy making primary education free for all pupils, which led to an immediate surge in enrolment.

Access to free, uninterrupted education has enabled children to maximise the benefits of schooling, improving their chances of progressing to universities and other institutions of higher learning.

On January 6, 2003, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST) launched Free Primary Education (FPE) to fulfil NARC’s election pledge. The main objective of the FPE policy was to recognise education as a basic right for all children, as articulated in the Children’s Act of 2001.

Mbadi’s remarks have also attracted sharp criticism from political groups, branding him a disappointment.

The Eugene Wamalwa-led DAP-Kenya party accused Mbadi of forgetting that education remains the greatest equaliser for children from both rich and poor backgrounds.

“John Mbadi knew very well that the Kenya Kwanza regime had mismanaged the education system. Now, as an expert in the regime of lies, he claims that free education introduced by (Mwai) Kibaki and continued by Uhuru (Kenyatta) is unsustainable. He must understand that education is the only equaliser,” the party stated.

Public universities’ organising secretaries, led by UASU Secretary General Constantine Wesonga, have also asked Mbadi to withdraw his statement claiming there is no money to fund the education sector.