Hope for Examiners: Treasury CS Mbadi Pledges KNEC Dues Settlement Before June 11 Budget Reading
HOMA BAY, Kenya — Teachers awaiting payment for their roles in the 2025 national examinations have received a fresh glimmer of hope.
National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has pledged that the outstanding Sh1.5 billion owed to educators will be settled before the presentation of the 2026/2027 national budget on June 11, 2026.
Speaking on Saturday, May 30, at a gathering in Homa Bay, CS Mbadi announced that he had engaged in urgent consultations with the Ministry of Education.
Following these discussions, he has directed that the payment process be fast-tracked to ensure teachers are compensated within the current financial year.
Escalating Pressure and Political Intervention
This development follows a period of intense public disagreement between the Treasury and the Ministry of Education.
Earlier this month, Basic Education Principal Secretary Prof. Julius Bitok had assured teachers that dues would be cleared by the end of May following consultations with President William Ruto.
However, when the deadline passed without payment, the Treasury had initially distanced itself, with CS Mbadi previously maintaining that all funds allocated to the Ministry of Education had already been fully disbursed.
The situation reached a breaking point when the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), led by National Chairperson Omboko Milemba, issued a formal directive for teachers to boycott all invigilation and marking duties for the 2026 national examinations until the arrears are cleared.
Adding significant weight to the matter, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki recently intervened, meeting with teacher representatives and promising to spearhead a follow-up effort to ensure the debt is settled.
Addressing the Payment Discrepancies
Teachers have long expressed frustration over the perceived unfairness of the payment process.
While thousands of primary and secondary school teachers remain unpaid for their services during the 2025 examinations, KNEC had previously prioritized payments for:
- Supervisors of Teacher Training College (TTC) assessments.
- Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) examiners.
- Security personnel and drivers.
Furthermore, while the government recently allocated Sh9.9 billion to KNEC, the Council clarified that these funds were strictly earmarked for the preparation of the 2026 examinations, leaving the 2025 debt unpaid.
The Road to the Budget Reading
With the budget statement for the 2026/2027 financial year scheduled to be delivered by CS Mbadi in Parliament on Thursday, June 11, at 3:00 p.m., the timeline for action is extremely tight.
CS Mbadi’s assurance that the matter is being prioritized serves as a critical attempt to restore trust between the government and the teaching fraternity.
For thousands of educators, the commitment from the Treasury is a welcome shift; however, they remain vigilant, waiting to see the funds reflected in their accounts before the budget speech marks the transition into the new financial year.
As it stands, the government’s intervention appears aimed at neutralizing the KUPPET boycott threat and ensuring that the upcoming examination calendar proceeds without disruption.