By Benadeta Mwaura - Reporter
Kenya , June 11, 2026 - The government has allocated KSh784.5 billion to the education sector in the 2026/27 financial year, with a significant portion directed toward teachers’ salaries, infrastructure, and learning support programmes.
Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, presenting the Budget Statement in Parliament on Thursday, dismissed claims that the Kenya Kwanza administration is underfunding education, insisting instead that allocations to the sector have consistently increased.
“It is not correct that this administration is defunding education. In fact, we are funding it more,” Mbadi told MPs.
According to Treasury data, education now accounts for 26.5% of the ministerial budget, up from 24.5% in the 2021/22 financial year, underscoring its position as the largest recipient of government spending.
Mbadi said total allocations to the sector have grown by nearly 49%, rising from KSh526 billion in 2021/22 to KSh784.5 billion in the upcoming financial year.
A major share of the funding will go to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), which is set to receive KSh424 billion to cover salaries and related personnel costs, reflecting the government’s continued focus on expanding the teaching workforce.
The allocation has increased significantly from about KSh290 billion in 2022, a rise Treasury attributes to ongoing recruitment and efforts to address staffing gaps in schools.
Mbadi also announced increased funding for other key areas within the sector, including Sh136.6 billion for basic education and Sh163.9 billion for higher education.
Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions are set to receive KSh58.5 billion, while KSh1.3 billion has been allocated to science, innovation, and research programmes.
Within the budget, KSh7 billion has been earmarked for free primary education, KSh54.6 billion for free day secondary education, and KSh30.7 billion for junior secondary school capitation.
Combined funding for free secondary and junior secondary education now stands at KSh85.3 billion, up from KSh62.4 billion in 2022.
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To support national examinations, the government has allocated KSh9.9 billion, alongside a commitment to clear KSh1.5 billion owed to teachers involved in marking exams before the end of the financial year.
School feeding programmes have been allocated KSh3 billion, an increase from KSh2.2 billion in 2022, as part of efforts to improve attendance and retention, particularly in vulnerable regions.
Mbadi also highlighted ongoing efforts to address teacher shortages, noting that KSh4.9 billion has been set aside to convert 20,000 intern teachers to permanent and pensionable terms starting January 2027.
An additional KSh8.2 billion will cater for intern teachers, including 24,000 newly recruited interns expected to transition to permanent employment from July 2027.
“On average, this government is employing more than 20,000 teachers annually. No previous administration has employed more than 10,000 teachers per year,” he said.
Infrastructure development in schools will also receive funding, with KSh4.1 billion allocated for construction and rehabilitation of primary and secondary facilities and KSh2.1 billion for TVET infrastructure.
Additional allocations include KSh7.1 billion for the Kenya Primary Education Equity and Learning Programme and KSh4.7 billion for the Kenya Secondary Education Quality Improvement Programme.
Higher education financing has also been boosted, with KSh56.3 billion allocated to HELB loans, up sharply from KSh15.39 billion in 2020. Universities will receive KSh30.9 billion in scholarships, while TVET scholarships are set to get KSh9.2 billion.
Mbadi said the increased investment demonstrates the government’s commitment to strengthening education access, improving learning conditions, and ensuring institutions are adequately funded to deliver quality education.
As pressure on public spending continues across competing sectors, education remains at the centre of Kenya’s fiscal priorities, both as a major budget driver and a critical pillar of the country’s long-term development strategy.