EDUCATION PS JULIUS BITOK DENIES CLAIMS THAT THE GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO SCRAP FREE EDUCATION

Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok has addressed reports stating that President William Ruto’s government plans to scrap free education. Speaking in Kilifi County during the prize-giving day at St. Thomas Girls Secondary School on July 25 2025, Bitok stated that the government has no plans to scrap free education.
He further noted that the Ministry of Education will lobby Parliament to increase budget allocations to cover capitation and examination expenses.On Thursday, July 24 2025, National Treasury Cabinet Secretary (CS) John Mbadi appeared before the National Assembly Departmental Education committee alongside Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba to address widespread concerns impacting the education sector.
Both Cabinet Secretaries acknowledged that the current budget is insufficient to fully support free primary and secondary education. “Currently, learners are provided with tuition and operational costs at the rate of Ksh1,420 for primary education. For junior school, it is Ksh15,042 per child, and the per capita allocation for senior secondary school is Ksh22,244,” said the CS.
“However, due to constraints in the fiscal space and other emerging priorities in the education sector, updating these rates might be untenable. We are getting more children in our schools, and the revenue performance is not increasing at a faster pace. The rates may look low, but again, we have to operate within the fiscal framework.”