KENYA UNION OF POST PRIMARY TEACHERS
GOVERNMENTS CUTS TO EDUCATION BUDGET ALARMING
1) KUPPET is shocked by the governements determination to defund public education.
2) For the third year running, the government has radically cut the education budget. The 2025/2026 budget estimates before the National Assessmbly indicates a shortfall of sh 62 billion for the sector.
Many budget lines that had been recommended for funding under the Budget Policy Statement have been radically reduced or eliminated altogether.
3) The Estimates indicate zero funding for the management of national examinations, quality assurance (inspection of schools) and the school management information system.
The effect of these cuts is that the Ministry of Educations quality assurance department will be all but dead.
This is despite the departments centrally to the maintenance of standards at all levels of education.
The removal of funding for examination invigilation and management almost certainly means that parents will be required to meet the costs.
4) The estimates indicate massive cuts for the whole feeding programme, capitation for primary and junior secondary schools, and the Teachers Service Commission.
In the TSC budget, the Treasury has slashed the entire budget for the confirmation of 20,000 intern teachers into permanent and pensionable terms.
The Commission has also deprived of funds for the employment of 20,000 new teachers in January 2026 as promised by the President during this years Labour Day celebrations at Uhuru Gardens.
5) These cuts represent the most ambitious rollback of social spending since independence.
Prior cuts included the abolition of funding for Edu-Afya medical insurance for secondary school students, university research and loans programmes, among others.
6) KUPPET demands the reinstatement of education funding as contained in the Budget Policy Statement, which in itself was grossly inadequate for the sectors needs.
Public education is a right, while quality education is the only path to Kenyas national development.
7) At the same time, KUPPET is alarmed by the contradictory policies by the Ministry of Education for the management of Junior Schools.
The latest such policy, the ‘Circular on Incorporation of Junior School Teachers in Kenya Primary Schools Sports Association Leadership’, purports to mainstream Junior School teachers within primary schools.
8) This is unfortunate, since Junior Schools are autonomous institutions, delinked from primary schools.
We demand the Circulars immediate withdrawal and proper recognition of co-curricular activities in junior schools.
Akelo Misori
SECRETARY GENERAL
14TH MAY 2025
