Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has called on lawmakers to redirect the education-related portions of the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) to his ministry, should the fund be scrapped.
Speaking during a plenary session at the Senate, Ogamba emphasised that a significant portion of NG-CDF resources—over 75 per cent, according to the NG-CDF Board—goes into supporting education through infrastructure development, bursaries, and the construction of new schools.
He proposed that if Parliament does not succeed in rescuing the fund through constitutional amendment, these resources should 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.
“We will use it for improving school infrastructure, issuing bursaries, and possibly introducing truly free education for our children.”
Ogamba added that the Ministry of Education is preparing to conduct a comprehensive audit of all education-related funding streams, bursaries, institutional donations, government agency support, and more, in a bid to determine the actual financial footprint of Kenya’s education system.
“We want to undertake an audit of all the money that is utilised in the sector, in terms of bursaries and donations that are given by various institutions, donors, and government agencies,” he told the Senate.
“We will then know exactly how much is spent, and from there, we can begin to pull all these resources together into one consolidated kitty to run the sector.”
The CS noted that the current national education budget of Sh702 billion only captures the government’s central allocation.
“To date, there is nowhere you can get the total figure of what is actually being spent in the education sector beyond what is captured in the national budget. That’s a gap we are seeking to close with data,” Ogamba added.
Since its inception in 2003, the NG-CDF has played a transformative role in expanding access to education across Kenya.
According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) Economic Survey Report, the fund has directly facilitated the construction of 3,087 new schools, which account for 26.6 per cent of the 11,612 schools established in the country between 2003 and June 2023.
Constituencies have used the fund to build classrooms, laboratories, dormitories, and administrative blocks, significantly reducing overcrowding and walking distances for learners in marginalised regions.
Beyond infrastructure, NG-CDF has also supported thousands of needy students through bursaries, often the only way many can stay in school.
Community leaders and education stakeholders have consistently praised the fund for delivering direct, tangible benefits at the grassroots level.
However, in a landmark judgment, a three-judge bench of the High Court ruled that the NG-CDF Act (2015, as amended in 2022 and 2023) was unconstitutional.
The court held that the fund violates the doctrine of separation of powers, duplicates roles, and encroaches on devolved functions, particularly in sectors like education and health.
Following the ruling, the court ordered the cessation of all NG-CDF operations by June 30, 2026, giving Parliament a limited window to either restructure or salvage the fund through constitutional means.
In response, Members of Parliament have fast-tracked a proposal, The Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which seeks to entrench the NG-CDF, along with the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) and the Senate Oversight Fund (SOF), directly into the Constitution.
The aim is to shield these funds from legal challenges by
elevating their legal status.
