Free Education is Here to Stay, Education PS Assures
By Bernard Koech |Kass Digital
The ministry of education has assured the country that free primary and secondary education won’t be scrapped.
According to the Principal Secretary for Basic Education Prof. Julius Bitok, the government is seeking more funds to sustain the ever-growing demand for basic education in the country.
“Parliament will be lobbied to enhance the education budget in order to bridge funding deficit for capitation and national examinations among other expenditures,” said Prof. Bitok.
“I want to assure the country that the policy on free primary and secondary education has not changed. The government will continue financing education through capitation as it has been over the years.”
Speaking at St. Thomas Girls Secondary School in Kilifi, the PS said the funds allocated to his ministry in the current financial year do not match the needs of the sector.
“Growing demand means we must work even harder to ensure these investments reach every learner, especially through capitation. We are continuing to engage parliament so that we get the required resources to support education in this country,” added Prof. Bitok.
He at the same time defended Treasury boss John Mbadi who had said the sustainability of free education was not guaranteed, claiming they had been misinterpreted.
“What he (CS Mbadi) underscored, and what we reaffirm, is the need for closer collaboration with Parliament to ensure that education funding keeps pace with the growing needs of our learners.”
Mbadi’s comments had caused a public outcry, where the government had been widely criticized for not being cognizant of priority areas which needed more funding from the national purse.
