April 25, 2026 – Kenya’s free education programme is under growing strain after the government admitted it can no longer fully finance school operations, prompting lawmakers to push for a policy shift that would officially classify education as subsidised rather than fully free.

The revelation emerged during parliamentary discussions on education funding, where the Ministry of Education confirmed that more than 1.1 million secondary school learners are currently not fully covered by government capitation.

Basic Education Principal Secretary Prof. Julius Bitok told MPs that while government policy pegs capitation for each secondary school learner at Sh22,044 per year, schools have consistently received significantly less. On average, institutions are getting about Sh15,800 per learner, leaving a serious funding gap that has disrupted learning and basic school operations.

According to the PS, the situation has been worsened by rapidly rising enrolment in public schools without matching increases in budget allocations. As a result, schools are struggling to pay utilities, purchase learning materials, and settle essential bills.

Official figures show that between the 2020/21 and 2023/24 financial years, secondary schools alone suffered underfunding exceeding Sh71 billion, while Junior Secondary Schools recorded deficits of nearly Sh32 billion. Primary schools and special needs institutions were also affected by persistent shortfalls.

Prof. Bitok noted that enrolment at the secondary level grew from 3.3 million learners in 2020/21 to over 4 million in 2023/24, yet budget growth remained marginal. By the 2023/24 financial year, the funding gap had widened to Sh25.8 billion, with the number of learners not fully financed increasing to more than 1.16 million.

He admitted that although government resources are distributed transparently based on available funds, the current capitation formula does not adequately reflect the real cost of running schools.

“The capitation model, as structured, is not equitable,” Prof. Bitok told the committee.

Compounding the funding crisis are data inconsistencies in the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS), where mismatches between actual enrolment and registered figures have led to inaccurate allocations. The ministry attributed the discrepancies to delayed data entry, poor internet connectivity in rural areas, learner transfers, absenteeism, and missing documentation such as birth certificates.

To address the issue, the government is transitioning to a new data platform, Kenya Education Management Information System (KEMIS), aimed at improving accuracy and accountability.

Lawmakers, however, questioned the sustainability of the free education policy under the current financial realities.

Funyula MP Wilberforce Oundo challenged the government to clearly state who shoulders the burden of the capitation gap, calling for an honest policy reset.

“If the State cannot fully fund education, then it should clearly declare education as subsidised rather than free,” Oundo said.

Lugari MP Nabii Nabwera warned that inflation has significantly eroded the value of capitation over time, arguing that today’s funding is far below what was originally intended when the policy was introduced.

Meanwhile, Mathioya MP Edwin Mugo raised concerns over mounting unpaid bills in secondary schools, cautioning that the situation mirrors the financial crisis that once crippled public universities.

As the debate continues, MPs are now pressing the government to formally review the free education framework, arguing that persistent underfunding has effectively turned the programme into a partially subsidised system, leaving schools and parents to absorb hidden costs.

With enrolment expected to keep rising and fiscal pressures mounting, lawmakers say Kenya must make a clear policy decision to safeguard the future of public education.