CS Mbadi Cites Ksh11B Misuse in KCSE Budget Freeze as Gov’t Spokesperson Mwaura Assures Free Exams for All.
Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi and Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura have assured parents that no child will be charged to sit for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams, even though the government has not allocated funds for the national tests this year.
On Wednesday, May 14, 2025, Mwaura indicated that discussions were underway between the National Treasury and the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) to address budgetary concerns. He affirmed there was no need for parental alarm, stating that the government was working to resolve the funding shortfalls with KNEC and the Treasury.
John Mbadi explained that the decision to withhold the allocation was driven by previous instances where the funds were misappropriated by officials.
Mbadi revealed during a radio interview on Ramogi FM on Wednesday, May 14, that the government has historically allocated Ksh11 billion annually for the printing and administration of the KCSE exams. He argued that this amount was excessive and had been subject to serious abuse.
Examination Printing Costs Under Scrutiny
One of the primary concerns raised by Mbadi was the high cost the government incurs by outsourcing the printing of examination papers to foreign countries. He questioned the rationale behind printing exams in London, England, emphasizing the need to reevaluate the entire process.
Mbadi clarified that halting the funds was not intended to shift the burden to parents but to give the government time to assess the financial processes and decide whether paying for exam fees is a necessary role for the state. He emphasized that as a minister, he questioned why public funds should cover his own child’s examination fees.
While assuring the public that funds would be available in the future, the Treasury CS said the current funding freeze aims to develop a better framework to prevent continued misuse. He insisted that the government was committed to ensuring fair and efficient use of education funds going forward.
This clarification followed strong reactions from Members of the National Assembly’s Education Committee, who criticised the complete omission of funding for examinations and invigilation in the 2025/26 budget.
The legislators accused the Treasury of weakening the education sector by excluding the national examinations from the budget. Committee Chairperson Julius Melly challenged the decision during a session with Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok. He pointed out that national exams are essential and are conducted annually, questioning why they were not included in the budget proposal.
Other MPs, including Narok County Women Representative Rebecca Tonke and Nyamira MP Jerusha Momanyi, echoed the concerns, questioning the Ministry’s planning and the Treasury’s intentions regarding parental exam costs.
Treasury Cuts Trigger Fallout
The MPs’ frustration stemmed from revelations that PS Julius Bitok could not explain why key exams like the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA), Junior Secondary School (JSS) assessments, and KCSE were unfunded.
It emerged that a standoff between the Ministry of Education and the National Treasury had developed after the latter slashed budgets to meet Cabinet deadlines. The Ministry now argues that the abrupt cuts, made without its consultation, could jeopardise essential educational programmes.
Appearing before the Education Committee, PS Bitok told lawmakers that the Ministry had not been involved in the drastic budget revisions. The presented budget estimates reflect a deficit of Sh62 billion in the education sector.
Significant reductions include the total removal of the Sh12.5 billion needed for national exams and invigilation, along with a Sh21.85 billion cut to senior school capitation and Sh1.8 billion from free primary education.
Junior school capitation has also been slashed by Sh18.8 billion, school feeding programmes lost Sh4.2 billion, and quality assurance (school inspections) received no funding.
Nehemiah Odera, a budget officer from the National Treasury, admitted to executing the cuts hastily under Cabinet instructions to rationalise expenditure, without involving the Ministry. He struggled to justify how the affected exams would proceed or be supervised.
Teachers Demands Funding Restoration
The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) has condemned the budget reductions, warning they would seriously harm education quality and sabotage ongoing reforms such as the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
Kuppet Secretary-General Akelo Misori stated that the union wants the full reinstatement of funds recommended in the Budget Policy Statement, which he criticised as already inadequate. He described the cuts as an unprecedented rollback of social spending.
In response, Education Committee Chair Julius Melly declared that Parliament would not approve the final budget unless examination funds were restored. He instructed PS Bitok to collaborate with the Treasury and submit an addendum that reintroduces allocations for exams, school capitation, quality assurance, and feeding programmes.
Meanwhile, despite public promises by President William Ruto during Labour Day celebrations, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has received no funding to employ the proposed 20,000 teachers in January 2026.
Although allocated Sh387.7 billion, the TSC’s budget does not cover vital areas such as the teachers’ medical scheme, disciplinary mechanisms, or the new 2025–29 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The current CBA expires in June, and Kuppet has already submitted proposals to raise hardship allowances under the next agreement.
Read Also: TSC Recurrent Budget Rises to Sh387.08 Billion in New Fiscal Plan
Kuppet has also criticised the Ministry’s contradictory approach to junior secondary schools. The union opposes a recent directive seeking to place junior school teachers under primary school heads, demanding that junior schools remain independent and their co-curricular activities formally recognised.
Before the latest round of budget cuts, the education sector had already lost funding for essential programmes such as Edu-Afya (student medical insurance), university research, and higher education loan schemes.
CS Mbadi Cites Ksh11B Misuse in KCSE Budget Freeze as Gov’t Spokesperson Mwaura Assures Free Exams for All.
