The Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) has sounded the alarm over a Sh3.7 billion budget deficit that could affect the smooth administration of the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams. The national tests, which began on October 21, are scheduled to conclude on November 21.
Appearing before the National Assembly’s Education Committee, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba revealed that KNEC’s approved recurrent budget for the financial year allocated Sh5.9 billion for national assessments and examinations. Out of this, Sh3 billion was earmarked for KCSE, Sh2 billion for the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA), and Sh900 million for the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA).
However, the total requirement stands at Sh12.72 billion leaving a funding shortfall of Sh6.8 billion. Ogamba noted that the Treasury has committed Sh3.1 billion under the first supplementary budget, reducing the deficit to Sh3.72 billion.
“We have written to the National Treasury to seek an additional allocation to enable the council to adequately fund this year’s examinations and clear pending bills,” Ogamba told MPs. He was accompanied by KNEC CEO David Njengere during the session chaired by Tinderet MP Julius Melly.
The committee also raised concerns over delayed capitation to schools. It emerged that 29 schools had been excluded from this year’s capitation due to pending registration, while over 6,000 others were flagged for having fewer students than reported. An additional 990 schools failed to submit their data for verification.
Ogamba said the Ministry has since released 50 percent of the capitation to ensure schools remain operational during the ongoing exams.
The Ministry of Education maintains that verifying student data is crucial to ending the misuse of public funds by “ghost schools and students,” even as it works to stabilize school operations amid financial constraints.
