Confusion has marred the education sector due to uncertainty surrounding the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) after it emerged that no budget has been allocated for examination preparation and invigilation.
Members of the National Assembly have raised an alarm over the lack of budget allocation for examination preparation and invigilation in the 2025/26 national budget.
Appearing before the Departmental Committee on Education and Research on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, Principal Secretary of the State Department for Basic Education, Julius Bitok, struggled to explain why no funds had been allocated for the KCSE examinations.
Committee Chairperson and Tinderet Member of Parliament, Julius Melly, expressed concern regarding the absence of examination allocations, describing it as a glaring omission in a sector where summative national exams are predictable and essential.
“Exams are activities that take place at the end of every year. Summative exams have to take place. But you have presented a budget with zero. Why is it not in the budget?” Melly asked.
“I don’t see the CEO of KNEC here either. As a committee, we need answers.”
PS Bitok at Pains Explaining Why There is Zero Budget for KCSE Examination
The Chairman’s sentiments were echoed by Narok Woman Representative Rebecca Tonkei, also a committee member, who questioned the Ministry’s planning capacity.
“The fact remains that this is something that happens every year. Why are funds not set aside in this budget?” she posed.
Another legislator, Jerusha Momanyi, Nyamira Woman Representative, directed a question to the Education PS, asking if parents would begin paying examination fees now that there is no budget for examinations.
“What is wrong with exams of our children? Does Treasury want to do away with exams, or does it want to communicate to parents to start paying examination fees?”
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On his part, PS Bitok acknowledged the funding gaps and promised to consult with the Treasury and the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) to address the issue.
“We assure the public that we are discussing with National Treasury to ensure that we address this issue,” said PS Bitok.
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National Treasury representative Nehemiah Odera also struggled to explain the anomaly.
The Committee expressed dissatisfaction with the responses, noting that Ksh.62 billion had been slashed from the overall education budget.
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Therefore, the Committee demanded a revised budget presentation and has summoned KNEC officials to appear and clarify how the examinations will be administered in the absence of funding.
Besides KCSE, other examinations affected by the lack of budget include the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KEPSEA) and Junior Secondary School (JSS) examinations.
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