Kenya’s commitment to providing free basic education is currently under serious scrutiny, as new findings show that parents are shouldering more than half of the costs associated with running schools. This eye-opening information came to light during a high-profile stakeholder forum at Nairobi’s Fairview Hotel, organized by Mtoto News in partnership with civil society groups, aimed at discussing the implications of the 2025/2026 national budget on children’s rights.
Bonyo Elijah Don, the Director of Policy and Advocacy at World Vision, shared findings that highlighted significant systemic issues in education funding. “Parents are essentially subsidizing public education by contributing over 50% of operational costs,” Bonyo pointed out. “This stands in stark contrast to Kenya’s constitutional promise to provide free and compulsory basic education.”
One of the major hurdles, according to Bonyo, is the lack of a national school financing database. “We don’t have a centralized system to gather and analyze school budgets nationwide, which makes it impossible to truly understand the funding gap,” he explained.
ATIDI supports education for displaced Children in Burundi
This issue is made worse by ongoing underfunding, including a recent cut of KSh 900 million in capitation funds, all while performance expectations remain unchanged. Additionally, the 2025 Economic Survey revealed a troubling inconsistency: while schools reported nearly 10 million primary school-age children, budget allocations were based on much lower numbers.
The forum also offered a sneak peek at the upcoming Children’s Voices report, which will feature firsthand stories from students about the challenges they encounter in the classroom, organized by county and specific issues. The goal is to use these insights to shape future policy and advocacy efforts.
Participants emphasized the urgent need for reforms, such as enhancing transparency in budget planning, accurately tracking student data, and creating a centralized national school financial database.
Without prompt and decisive action, speakers cautioned that the vision of free basic education in Kenya might remain just a constitutional promise, lacking real substance.
