• Ministry says more than Sh8 billion has been set aside to improve infrastructure in primary and secondary schools in at least 110 subcounties in 30 counties.
• Educationists have pressured government to consider giving capitation to students to join private schools to ease pressure on public secondary schools.
Image: JACK OWUOR
The Education sector is the biggest beneficiary of the national budget, with the current year's allocation of Sh494.8 billion.
However, public primary and secondary schools across the country grapple with a myriad of problems including a shortage of teachers, poor infrastructure, congested classrooms and lack of facilities.
As schools open for the first term of the 2020 academic year, secondary school managers face a daunting task of absorbing more than one million pupils who sat their KCPE exams last October.
The government is firm on 100 per cent transition to secondary schools and has planned to put up more classrooms in public secondary schools to ease the pressure.
This financial year, the National Treasury allocated Sh59.4 billion for free secondary education and a further Sh13.4 billion for the free primary education.
The Teachers Service Commission, the statutory body that employs and manages teachers, received the sector's largest allocation at Sh252. 9 billion.
More than 80 per cent of TSC's allocation goes towards paying salaries for more than 310,000 teachers in public schools.
This is more than 50 per cent of the sector's budget. Its allocation has been rising since the Jubilee administration took power in 2013.
The Education sector was allocated Sh426.3 billion in the last financial year, with the TSC taking up Sh226.6 billion.
Under the Basic Education budget that consumes 21.7 per cent of the Education allocation, the government also funds free primary education at Sh1,420 per pupil.
Each student at the secondary level of education receives Sh22,244 as part of the government's radical plan to enhance 100 per cent transition from primary schooling.
For the last two years, the free secondary education allocation has increased by about 16 per cent as the government seeks to address the transition pressure.
However, public school managers have been complaining that the capitation by the government is just a drop in the ocean considering the growing cost of living, pressure on existing infrastructure and increased student numbers.
While making budget submissions for the current financial year, the Ministry of Education said it had planned to construct 1,155 new classrooms; 1,041 were put up in 2018.
The ministry says more than Sh8 billion has been set aside to improve infrastructure in primary and secondary schools in at least 110 subcounties in 30 counties.
The government also plans to construct 250 additional laboratories in public secondary schools.
Educationists have proposed the government should consider giving capitation to students to join private schools to ease pressure on public secondary schools.
Those pushing for the idea say it is viable if private school providers adhere to principles such as the right to equality and non-discrimination.
Under the 100 per cent transition policy, all the 1,088,986 candidates who sat the KCPE examination last year will be joining secondary schools.
While releasing the KCPE results in December, Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha said the ministry and national government will ensure 100 per cent transition of all candidates to secondary schools.
“All candidates will have a place in secondary school and selection will be done through a fair and transparent process,” the CS said on November 18.
However, the country continues to grapple with a shortage of teachers in public schools even as the government insists on 100 per cent transition.
The TSC has resorted to employing intern teachers to bridge the shortage that stands at about 100,000. The situation will worsen if no teachers are recruited.
This month the commission will recruit 10,000 intern teachers.
In its strategic plan for 2019-23, the commission indicates it requires Sh82 billion to recruit teachers in the next five years.
Currently, it estimates an overall teacher shortage of 96,345 — primary schools 38,054 and post-primary 58,291.
According to TSC documents, the commission had 317,069 teachers on its payroll in June last year. They were deployed to 30,892 public schools.
Edited by R.Wamochie