Treasury Cabinet Secretary Dr. John Mbadi has reaffirmed his commitment to transparency and accountability in government education funding, stating he will not mislead the public about the challenges facing capitation disbursements in schools.
Speaking on Sunday, Mbadi clarified that his recent remarks—suggesting the government cannot sustain education under current budget constraints—were directed at policymakers, particularly Members of Parliament (MPs), who are responsible for approving national budget allocations.
“I was speaking to policy makers, I was speaking to Members of Parliament who approve the budget, and I told them we must enhance the capitation budget so that every child receives the Sh22,000 as stipulated by government policy,” said Mbadi. “What we currently have in the budget is less than that. I’m not ready to lie to Kenyans. We must budget so that every child is supported.”
Despite concerns raised by the public, Mbadi urged parents not to panic. He emphasized that the government remains committed to ensuring schools have the financial support they need, and that no parent should be asked to pay school fees in public day secondary schools.
“The budget we have is small, but we will add to it,” he assured. “We will ensure schools have the necessary funds to support learners. Parents are not supposed to pay fees, and we will not allow them to be burdened. The government will make money available to support education.”
On Friday, Mbadi had taken Parliament to task over the persistent shortfalls in school capitation funds. He noted that while the Treasury disburses 100% of the amount allocated by Parliament, the approved funds often fall short of what is required to adequately support students.
“We disbursed the whole amount allocated in the budget, but it is still not enough,” he said. “The only thing I confirmed is that we are giving schools what was allocated—but that allocation is not sufficient to meet the policy requirement of Sh22,000 per child.”
According to government guidelines, each learner in a public day secondary school is entitled to Sh22,000 annually, while students in junior secondary schools should receive Sh15,000 and those in primary schools Sh1,400. However, Mbadi admitted that the Treasury has consistently fallen short of meeting the full funding targets due to budgetary limitations.
Mbadi’s candid statements come amid mounting pressure from school administrators and education stakeholders who say the funding gaps are hurting operations and compromising learning outcomes.
As the debate continues, Mbadi has called for greater collaboration between the Treasury and Parliament to ensure that the education sector receives the necessary resources to fulfill its mandate and uphold the constitutional right to free basic education for all Kenyan children.
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