We need Sh111 billion more, Education PS Bitok tells Senate
Education
By
Fred Kagonye
| Feb 27, 2026
Basic Education Principal Secretary (PS) Julius Bitok has said that the ministry needs some Sh111 billion more despite requesting a historic Sh700 billion for the next financial year.
Bitok said if the funding gap is met then the ministry will be able to optimally fund basic education especially the Free Primary Education, school feeding program and national assessments.
“I appeared before the Education Committee of the National Assembly to defend the Sh245.9 billion Basic Education budget. Collectively, the Education Ministry’s budget has hit a historical annual high of above Sh700 billion,” said the PS when he appeared before Senators.
According to the PS the ministry had managed to train a majority of teachers to align with the demands of Competency Based Education (CBE).
“I am happy to report that we are very close to 100% transition to Grade 10,” said Bitok adding that 100,000 teachers had been hired to ease classroom burden.
READ MORE
Pesalink, PAPSS deal cuts currency barriers for Kenya cross-border payments
Manyanja Mall: Quickmart, Goodlife and Rubis among anchor tenants of Sh400 million mall
Econetix inaugural CORSIA deal channels carbon finance to Africa
Industry leaders push to accelerate social governance in brokerage
VAT reforms: Why manufacturers want tax cuts
Inside Nyakang'o's trouble with Infrastructure Fund Bill
BAT Kenya posts Sh7.7b full-year profit
Kenya launches roadmap to reduce building sector emissions
Aviation workers vow strike despite restraint by court
APA Insurance unveils cyber insurance cover to strengthen business resilience
“The Ministry has also invested heavily in expansion of infrastructure in schools including in the construction of classrooms, laboratories and wash areas.”
Bitok told The Senate that the ministry had successfully identified and expunged ghost learners from their records saying they now had reliable data to inform better planning and resource allocation to schools.
He said that the country ranks high in pre-primary enrolment globally at 94.2 per cent but this does not tell the whole story since some learners were facing difficulties.
“For instance, three in ten Grade 6 learners cannot solve a Grade 3-level math problem. Equally, nearly half of Grade 6 learners cannot comprehend a Grade 3 English story.”
According to the PS, his ministry was committed to ensure there is a policy position that will address the question of the future and training of Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) tutors to meet local and global realities needed in education.
Bitok said that Senators were the ultimate guardians of four million Kenyans in pre-primary centres and should oversight governors well to make sure the learners are well taken care of saying some of them were taking lessons under trees and in dilapidated structures.
“I urge this House to exercise its oversight mandate to ensure that County Integrated Development Plans (CIDPs) prioritize the construction of child-friendly, safe, and modern ECDE centres.”
He criticized counties over what he termed as ill-treatment of ECDE teachers citing poor remuneration, delayed salaries and lack of pension schemes.
“The Senate should prioritize pushing for the harmonization of schemes of service. We need to abandon stop-gap, short-term contracts to terms that attract and retain competent, well-trained professionals.”
He said that there are some counties that are yet to establish school feeding programs.
“I urge the Senate to advocate for a National-County Nutritional Framework that guarantees at least one fortified meal a day for every ECDE learner across all 47 counties.”
According to Bitok there is was need for collaboration between the national and county governments to create a start to finish comprehensive basic education schools.