The government’s plan to fully implement free and compulsory basic education is set to return to Cabinet for fresh guidance, as significant funding gaps and other critical challenges continue to hinder its rollout.
The policy, aimed at strengthening Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE) by eliminating hidden costs, has struggled due to insufficient resources.
A report by the sectoral committee on education and sports indicates that the programme requires over 1.48 trillion shillings over four financial years.
For the upcoming financial year, the Ministry projected 518 billion shillings for effective implementation but currently has only 209 billion shillings available, leaving a shortfall of approximately 324.11 billion shillings.
The government had initially promised to roll out the free compulsory education programme in 2024. However, funding is not the only challenge.
Education Ministry Spokesperson Dr. Denis Mugimba confirmed that several critical issues remain unresolved and that the Ministry will return to Cabinet seeking guidance in the coming financial year.
One key issue under review is a comprehensive revision of the unit cost of education, which will determine the new capitation grants to be paid to schools.
