A storm is brewing in Parliament, and it’s all about the future of Kenya’s schoolchildren.
In a fiery outburst that sent shockwaves across Makueni County, Kaiti MP Joshua Kimilu has threatened to lead a massive boycott of parliamentary proceedings if the upcoming national budget fails to allocate funds for this year’s national exams.
“No funding, no Parliament!” Kimilu thundered as he addressed a tense crowd in his home county, warning that the government’s decision to slash education funding to zero could throw the country into an educational crisis.
“Mr. President, we’ve seen the education budget has been wiped out. That money must be returned immediately — or the House will not continue business as usual!” he declared with urgency.
The legislator didn’t mince his words, accusing the Treasury of gambling with the future of millions of children by failing to prioritize funding for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).
“Our children must sit their exams. Education is not optional. How can we talk about national development while our kids are being locked out of classrooms?” he asked, visibly emotional.
The bombshell comes after Treasury CS John Mbadi stunned the nation on May 14 by announcing zero allocation for administering the 2024 KCSE exams — a move that has sparked national outrage.
Despite the funding freeze, Mbadi assured parents they would not be charged to have their children sit the exams. He blamed past corruption within the Ministry of Education for the decision, citing gross misuse of the KSh11 billion annual exam budget.
“There was massive abuse of funds. We’ve suspended the budget to audit everything,” Mbadi said in a tense interview with Ramogi FM.
But just days later, Mbadi shifted his stance, revealing that from next year, the decade-long exam fee waiver would be scrapped — forcing parents to foot part of the bill in a country already grappling with skyrocketing school fees and a harsh economy.
“Why should we pay exam fees for all students — even those in private schools? The system must be reviewed. We’ll only support the truly needy,” he told NTV.
The sudden policy reversal has rattled millions of households and left education stakeholders on edge. Parents now fear being blindsided by fees they hadn’t planned for, just as they struggle under the weight of soaring costs.
As pressure mounts on President William Ruto’s administration, all eyes are on Treasury and Parliament — and the clock is ticking. One thing is clear: if action isn’t taken fast, Kenya could be staring at a nationwide educational disaster.
Stay with Wamuzi News for the latest updates on this developing story.
