In a move sending shockwaves through Kenya’s education sector, the government has axed a staggering Sh62 billion from the Ministry of Education’s 2025/2026 budget—an unprecedented cut that now threatens to derail exams, disrupt classrooms, and paralyze ongoing education reforms.
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) is warning that unless this budget is fully reinstated, Kenya’s entire education system could be thrown into chaos. Union Secretary-General Collins Oyuu didn’t mince his words, declaring the cut “a direct attack on Kenya’s future.”
“This is a matter of national survival,” Oyuu said during an emotionally charged address at a funeral in Kilgoris, Narok County. “Education is the heartbeat of development, and this slash threatens to stop that heart.”
No Funds for Exams or Invigilators? Unheard Of.In a revelation that left educators stunned, Oyuu exposed that the revised budget completely excludes funds for national examinations and invigilation.
This has never happened before,” he emphasized. “Exams without money? That’s not just dangerous—it’s disastrous.”The cuts could not have come at a worse time. Kenya is midstream in rolling out the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), a bold education shift that now risks crumbling without adequate financial backing.
Oyuu, backed by top KNUT officials including First National Vice Chairman Malel Langat and Woman Representative Mercy Ndung’u, is demanding immediate action from Parliament and the Executive.
“We are staring at the collapse of critical reforms and public education as we know it,” Langat added.Special Needs Schools Teetering on the EdgeThe crisis deepens.
Over 2,000 special needs schools across the country are on the brink of closure due to delayed capitation disbursements—compounded by the new cuts. The Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers (KUSNET) has sounded the alarm.
“This is a full-blown emergency,” said KUSNET Secretary-General James Torome. “We’re witnessing the undoing of decades of progress in inclusive education.”
Speaking from Naivasha, Torome warned that many institutions can no longer pay non-teaching staff or service providers, with some vendors already pulling out. “This is not just about numbers.
It’s about vulnerable children who risk being abandoned,” he said.Officials Admit: Budget Slashed in a HurryIn a stunning admission before the National Assembly’s Education Committee, Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok revealed the cuts were done in haste—reportedly by a Treasury official rushing to meet a Cabinet deadline.
“Key components like Sh12.5 billion for national exams and Sh1.8 billion for invigilation were simply left out,” Bitok told MPs.
“This was a rushed process.”A Nation on the Brink of an Education CrisisWith political interference looming over teachers’ welfare issues and critical agreements under the 2021–2025 CBA hanging in limbo, union leaders are calling for urgent negotiations.
“We must not allow political games to compromise education,” Torome urged. “Restore the budget or face the collapse of a generation’s dreams.”
As pressure mounts, the country is watching closely to see whether the government will act in time—or allow one of Kenya’s most vital pillars to crumble under the weight of careless decisions.
Stay with us for updates on this developing story.
