School Feeding Program at Risk as Free Day Secondary Education Faces Budget Cuts
The Education budget cuts will significantly impact the school feeding program, which supports learners in Arid and Semi-Arid Land (ASAL) counties and impoverished urban areas.
This program aims to provide meals to encourage retention and reduce school dropouts. The program received Sh3 billion in the 2023/2024 fiscal year, but these funds have now been transferred to the State Department of ASALs for the 2024/2025 year.
Although the budget for the feeding program has not been reduced, Kipsang argued that moving it to another department would affect its implementation and coordination with other education programs.
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He highlighted that the program already has an outstanding bill of Sh2.4 billion from the last financial year, which will incur its first charge in the current fiscal year.
He requested the committee led by Julius Melly to return the program’s funds to the State Department of Basic Education for better efficiency and effectiveness.
Free Day Senior Secondary School Program Underfunded
Moreover, the budget cuts have led to a Sh12.76 billion shortfall for learners under the Free Day Senior Secondary School program. The required cost per learner is Sh22,244, amounting to a total budget of Sh76.7 billion for the current fiscal year.
However, only Sh63.88 billion has been allocated, reducing the capitation to Sh18,757 per learner.
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Kipsang noted that if the full capitation of Sh22,244 is maintained, 1,381,100 learners will not be funded in the third term of the 2024 academic year, and 372,270 learners will lack funding in the first and second terms of the 2025 academic year.
He requested an additional Sh12.76 billion to adequately fund the Free Day Senior Secondary School program.
School Feeding Program at Risk as Free Day Secondary Education Faces Budget Cuts
