TSC Gets Sh322,733 Billion in Budget Proposal to Train and Employ 20,000 Teachers
The education sector in Kenya is set to receive an increased budget allocation in 2023, according to the Budget Policy Statement (BPS) that will be tabled in the National Assembly.
The proposed allocation is Sh597 billion, which is Sh53 billion higher than the previous year. The extra funds will be used to fund junior secondary schools, employ more teachers, improve school infrastructure, and support higher education.
Despite the increased allocation, there are still significant deficits of nearly Sh200 billion across the 13 programs in the sector. The BPS outlines the allocation of funds to the Ministry of Education and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
The TSC will receive the largest allocation of Sh322,733 billion, with Sh3.8 million meant for hiring 20,000 new teachers to support junior secondary schools.
However, there is still a serious staffing challenge that needs to be addressed. Additionally, Sh11.1 billion will be allocated for salaries of 20,000 interns and 10,000 teachers hired on permanent and pensionable terms in February.
The Education Committee of the National Assembly, chaired by Julius Melly, has recommended raising the ceiling for TSC to allow for an additional Sh2.2 billion to be used for the promotion of teachers.
The TSC will also receive Sh1.3 billion for training teachers and tutors on the competency-based curriculum.
Despite promises that the government would take the burden off teachers, the BPS does not provide a budget for the mandatory Teacher Professional Development program. The Ministry of Education and TSC appeared before the Committee in February to deliberate the contents of the BPS.
Basic education has the highest increase in expected expenditure, with Sh130 billion proposed for the department, up from the 2022 baseline of Sh110.7 billion.
This is mainly due to the new capitation for junior secondary schools (Sh15,042 per learner) and the expansion of infrastructure in primary schools that host junior secondary schools.
In conclusion, the proposed increased allocation for the education sector in Kenya is a positive development. However, there are still significant deficits that need to be addressed, and more support is required for teacher development programs.
TSC Gets Sh322,733 Billion in Budget Proposal to Train and Employ 20,000 Teachers
