Why MPs are concerned over Sh6.6b school feeding shortfall

Members of the National Assembly have raised concerns over a Sh6.6 billion funding shortfall for the school feeding programme targeting vulnerable children in arid and semi-arid areas.

This is after lawmakers sitting in the Public Investments Committee on Governance and Education heard that the National Council for Nomadic Education in Kenya (Naconek) requires Sh8.3 billion annually to sustain its feeding programme, but has only been allocated Sh1.7 billion in the current budget.

They are now worried that the funding shortfall exposes thousands of learners under the programme to the risk of dropping out of school amid a biting drought.

Naconek chief executive Harun Yussuf, while appearing before the House team, expressed fears that the underfunding would significantly affect the Council’s service delivery efforts and could lead to unprecedented school dropouts.

He appeared before the committee to respond to queries arising from the Auditor-General’s reports for the 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24 financial years.

“We have a serious gap in the school feeding programme. The cost of feeding a child is Sh22 per day for about 51 days, requiring approximately Sh8.3 billion, but we have only been allocated Sh1.7 billion,” said Yussuf.

The MPs heard that the council is working with the National Treasury to streamline capitation, adding that the programme will, in the meantime, focus on providing porridge to learners as a stopgap measure.

Yusuf also brought to the fore that the council, which supports education for children from nomadic and marginalised communities, also faces challenges in infrastructure development, specifically in the construction of modern school kitchens.

He explained that while parents in many parts of the country support school feeding initiatives, communities served by NACONEK often lack the capacity to build proper kitchens.

“It is the responsibility of the government to establish kitchens at the school level, but we do not have the budget for that. We have only piloted clean energy cooking in six schools and are expanding to 14 more, but funding remains inadequate,” he said.

While acknowledging the challenges facing the council, the MPs called for increased funding and policy support.
highlighted that the council, which supports education for children from nomadic and marginalised communities, faces challenges in infrastructure development, specifically in constructing
Sotik MP Julius Sigei stated that marginalised communities and those in the ASAL areas had unique needs and that the feeding programme was their literal lifeline, hence the need to ensure its continuity.

“These are people who have been neglected for a long time. We must enhance resources to uplift them while ensuring safety standards are not compromised,” he said. 

Narok Woman Representative Rebecca Tonkei underscored the dire living conditions that communities served by NACONEK have to endure, calling on the government to devise ways to support the programme.

“These are very poor communities. If you ask parents in such areas to build modern kitchens, children will drop out of school. We must support them to ensure learners can eat in a clean and safe environment,” she said.

Lunga Lunga MP Chiforomodo added, “We should not compromise quality. These are Kenyan children and must have access to clean, modern kitchens. The council should seek more resources to meet these standards.”

At the same time, the House team questioned the irregular disbursement of funds by the State, which reportedly led to delays in the delivery of food supplies in some regions.

The MPs noted that the Auditor-General had in her reports flagged various incidences where schools went for months without receiving food, undermining the feeding programme’s effectiveness.

Sessional chair Kasipul MP Boyd Were held that the House team would make recommendations to address the funding and operational gaps.

“This matter is before the committee, and we will make recommendations to ensure you receive adequate funding to resolve these challenges,” he said. 

To address the chronic underfunding of the feeding programme, the MPs proposed granting Naconek greater autonomy to improve its efficiency.

“I think the issue of resources is critical. As a committee, we can recommend increased funding and even involve the Education Cabinet Secretary and Principal Secretary to ensure these concerns are addressed,” said Bomachoge Chache MP Alpha Miruka. 

They also warned that budget cuts had contributed to the underfunding, noting that it had undermined efforts to support vulnerable learners. 

The committee is now agitating for reforms to ensure increased consistent funding, improved infrastructure and better oversight of the programme. 

They warned that existing funding gaps could reverse gains made in improving access to education among children in marginalised and nomadic communities, where school feeding programmes remain a critical incentive for enrollment and retention.