Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has called on lawmakers to redirect the education portion of the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) to his ministry if the fund is scrapped.
Speaking before the Senate, Ogamba noted that over 75 percent of NG-CDF allocations support education, including bursaries, school construction, and infrastructure upgrades. He proposed that if Parliament fails to entrench the fund in the Constitution, those resources should instead be consolidated under the Ministry of Education.
“If the fund is to be wound up, we urge lawmakers to consider transferring the money that currently goes to education through NG-CDF directly to the ministry,” Ogamba said.
The CS stressed that the funds could be used to improve infrastructure, sustain bursaries, and potentially introduce a truly free education model for Kenyan children.
Ogamba also revealed that his ministry plans to conduct a comprehensive audit of all education-related funding streams, including bursaries, institutional donations, and donor support. He said the aim is to determine the true financial footprint of Kenya’s education sector and consolidate resources into one kitty for better management.
Currently, Kenya’s education budget stands at Sh702 billion. However, Ogamba pointed out that this figure only reflects central government allocations, leaving out contributions from NG-CDF, donors, and other agencies.
Since its inception in 2003, NG-CDF has played a transformative role in education. According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, the fund facilitated the construction of 3,087 schools, accounting for over a quarter of all new schools built between 2003 and 2023. Beyond infrastructure, NG-CDF has also supported thousands of students with bursaries.
However, a High Court ruling declared the NG-CDF Act unconstitutional, citing violations of separation of powers and overlap with devolved functions. The court ordered all NG-CDF operations to cease by June 30, 2026.
In response, MPs are pushing the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which seeks to entrench NG-CDF, NGAAF, and the Senate Oversight Fund in the Constitution to safeguard them from future legal challenges.
