Public Education Under Siege as KUPPET Sounds Alarm Over Massive Budget Cuts

Public Education Under Siege as KUPPET Sounds Alarm Over Massive Budget Cuts

From left: KUPPET Deputy Secretary General Moses Nthurima, Secretary General Akelo Misori (centre), and National Vice Chair Julius Korir during a press briefing in Nairobi on May 14, 2025

By MAXIMILLA WAFULA & PATRICK KIMANZI 

The County Diary News, Reporters

Nairobi, Kenya – May 14, 2025-The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers has raised serious concerns over unprecedented budget cuts to the education sector, warning that the government’s proposed 2025–2026 budget is a direct threat to the future of public schooling in the country.

Speaking to the press in Nairobi, KUPPET officials decried a projected shortfall of KES 62 billion in the education budget. They accused the government of systematically dismantling the core pillars of the education system through targeted funding cuts.

Among the most affected areas are the management of national examinations, quality assurance operations, and the modernisation of the school information management system. The union also highlighted the total removal of funding for confirming 20,000 junior secondary intern teachers into permanent and pensionable positions. Additionally, there is no allocation for the recruitment of another 20,000 teachers in January 2026 as promised by the President during Labour Day celebrations.

KUPPET warned that the cuts to the school feeding programme and student capitation at both primary and junior secondary levels will worsen inequality and force many children from disadvantaged backgrounds out of school. The union also condemned the apparent shift of financial responsibility to parents, who may now be required to cover the costs of national examinations and essential learning services.

In a strong statement, KUPPET criticized the Ministry of Education for issuing a recent circular that integrates junior secondary school teachers into the Kenya Primary School Heads Association. The union described the move as misguided and called for the immediate withdrawal of the policy, arguing that junior schools must be treated as independent institutions with unique academic and administrative needs.

KUPPET emphasized that education funding is not limited to physical infrastructure or learning tools. It includes the hiring and retention of teachers, the implementation of effective quality assurance systems, and the overall support of curriculum delivery. The union warned that the proposed cuts will directly erode the quality of education and have long-term consequences for the nation’s political stability, economic growth, and innovation capacity.

The union also raised concerns over the delayed release of capitation funds to schools. Many institutions are now halfway through the second term without having received any of the promised disbursements. This has stalled critical operations such as maintenance, sanitation, and purchase of classroom essentials, and in some cases has forced schools to request emergency financial support from already burdened parents.

KUPPET urged Parliament to reject the proposed cuts in their entirety. The union argued that the move signals a deliberate push toward the privatisation of education, which goes against the constitutional right of every Kenyan to quality and affordable learning.

Education, the union stated, is not a burden on the economy but a necessary investment in the country's progress. KUPPET concluded by calling on lawmakers to defend the future of the nation by restoring full funding to the education sector.