Reprieve As National Assembly Assigns Ksh 5.9 Billion To Finance School Examinations
Parents are now reassured after the National Assembly assigned Ksh 5.9 Billion to finance national examinations across primary, junior and secondary schools.
The move comes in response to public outcries after earlier budget drafts excluded funding for the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC)leaving uncertainty for candidates scheduled to take the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment(KPSEA), Kenya Junior School Education Assessment(KJSEA), and Kenya Certificate Of Secondary Education (KCSE) in September.
The National Assembly Committee on Education has suggested redirecting Ksh. 5.9 Billion from other budget items to cover examinations to cover examination expenses. The proposal has been submitted to the budget and Appropriations Committee (BAC) for approval.
This follows remarks by Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, who said the government plans to review the structure and management of examinations including reconsidering who qualifies for subsidized examination fees.
There is a proposed increment of Ksh5.9 billion for examination administration and invigilation for provision for national examinations which had not been provided in the budget,” the committee stated in its 2025/26 budget report to the BAC.
The proposed funds will be reallocated from recurrent capitation amounts: Ksh2 billion from junior schools, Ksh3 billion from secondary schools, and KSh900 million from primary schools.
To administer the 2025 KPSEA, KJSEA, and KCSE exams, KNEC requires a total of Ksh12.58 billion. However, budget estimates presented to the National Assembly show a Ksh62 billion shortfall in the education sector, with significant cuts to several previously prioritized funding areas under the Budget Policy Statement. Notably, the estimates had entirely excluded funding for examinations and invigilation.
