Budget Cuts Bite Education as Enrolment Soars

Budget Cuts Bite Education as Enrolment Soars

The education sector faces a funding cut even as the number of learning institutions and student enrolments continue to rise. Data from the Economic Survey 2025 indicates that the overall education budget will decline from Sh601.5 billion in 2023/24 to Sh594.2 billion in 2024/25, a drop of 1.2 per cent. This reduction comes at a time when student numbers are climbing steadily across almost all levels of learning.

Recurrent expenditure, which covers teachers’ salaries and operational costs, is set to fall by 1.7 per cent to Sh566.1 billion. This is happening even as the student population continues to grow.

Pre-primary enrolment rose from 2.88 million in 2023 to 2.91 million in 2024, while primary and junior secondary learners increased by 3.2 per cent to 10.73 million. Secondary school enrolment saw a 5.2 per cent rise to 4.32 million learners. Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions recorded a 10.4 per cent growth, reaching 709,885 students.

Unlike recurrent spending, development expenditure—which funds infrastructure and equipment—is expected to increase by 9.8 per cent, reaching Sh28.1 billion. This offers some relief in an otherwise tightening financial environment. The number of TVET institutions also grew by 6.9 per cent to 2,756, largely supported by the accreditation of new vocational centres.

Expansion of Institutions and Programmes

The growth in institutions includes two newly chartered universities: the National Intelligence Research University and Tangaza University, bringing the total number of universities to 72. Basic education institutions increased significantly by 38.3 per cent to 129,463, mainly due to the incorporation of junior secondary schools.

The teacher workforce has experienced mixed shifts. Public primary school teacher numbers fell by 3.2 per cent to 212,602 in 2024. Conversely, staffing in secondary schools and teacher training colleges rose from 125,563 to 130,818.

Meanwhile, university enrolment is projected to grow from 579,000 to 629,100 students, and the number of Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) candidates rose by 6.9 per cent to 965,172.

In a surprising development, government support for public universities is expected to plunge drastically, from Sh30 billion to Sh12.9 billion in 2024/25. Dr Henry Embeywa, a senior lecturer at Machakos University, criticised the move, saying, “This drop in university funding is alarming.

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We’re already stretched thin. Slashing support by over half while enrolment is going up is unsustainable.” Another university administrator added, “This level of funding cut puts our operations at serious risk. We may be forced to scale back key programs.”

Despite the general funding cuts, financial support to students has seen a significant rise. The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) disbursed Sh46.9 billion in 2024/25, marking a 59.5 per cent increase. Loans distributed through the New Funding Model (NFM) also rose from Sh17.9 billion to Sh20.9 billion. A HELB official noted, “This increase in loans is meant to cushion students as institutions adjust to the new budget realities.”

Budget Cuts Bite Education as Enrolment Soars.

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