NAIROBI, Kenya – Kenya’s education sector has emerged as the biggest winner in the 2025/26 national budget, securing a record funding package even as the agriculture docket endures significant financial reductions.
Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, while tabling the latest budget estimates in Parliament, emphasized the central role of education in national development
“I have proposed a total allocation of Sh702.7 billion to the Education Sector. This includes: Sh387.2 billion to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC). The allocation for TSC includes: Sh7.2 billion for recruitment of intern teachers; and Sh980 million for capacity building of teachers on Competency Based Education,” he stated.
“Further, I have proposed an allocation of Sh7.0 billion for Free Primary Education; Sh28.9 billion for Junior Secondary School Capitation; and Sh51.9 billion for Free Day Secondary Education.”
The education sector will also benefit from Sh5.9 billion to support the administration of national examinations, Sh3.0 billion to strengthen the school feeding programme, Sh4.0 billion for technical and vocational training initiatives, and Sh7.2 billion to hire intern teachers.
To upgrade learning environments, Sh1.7 billion has been earmarked for school infrastructure in primary and secondary institutions, while an additional Sh1.4 billion has been allocated for building and equipping TVET centres.
Sh13.3 billion has been set aside to promote equity in primary education, with Sh2.3 billion going towards improving quality in secondary schools, and Sh993 million supporting research, science, and innovation.
In the tertiary space, HELB will receive Sh41.5 billion for student loans, with Sh16.9 billion designated for university scholarships and Sh7.7 billion for TVET capitation and scholarships.
Mbadi reaffirmed that the government is committed to fulfilling its constitutional mandate to provide every child with access to quality education.
In stark contrast, the agriculture sector faces budgetary tightening. The new allocation of Sh47.6 billion represents a 20.1% decline from the Sh60.4 billion set aside in the previous fiscal year.
Key items in the agriculture budget include Sh8.0 billion for subsidizing fertilizers, Sh10.2 billion for developing agricultural value chains, Sh800 million for small-scale irrigation and value addition, and Sh1.2 billion for food security and diversification. The Food Systems Resilience Project has been allocated Sh5.8 billion.
Support for livestock development has also been scaled down, with Sh2.3 billion targeted at enhancing pastoral economies, Sh1.6 billion for livestock commercialization, Sh280 million to strengthen livestock value chains, and Sh340 million for the development of the Kenanie Leather Industrial Park.
The contrasting funding patterns Mbadi noted underscore the government’s prioritization of human capital development, even as concerns linger over the sustainability of the country’s food systems amid reduced agricultural investment.
