Boni Khalwale Criticises Ruto's Administration for Scrapping KSh 5b Exam Fees Waiver
- Senator Boni Khalwale criticises President William Ruto's Kenya Kwanza government for ending the KSh 5 billion examination fee subsidy for parents
- The fee waiver, introduced in 2015 and extended to private schools in 2017, covered KPSEA, KJSEA, and KCSE exams, providing free access to public and private school candidates
- Khalwale urges the Treasury’s directive to be limited to private school candidates, arguing that barriers to education access should be removed entirely
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Amos Khaemba, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over four years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
Kakamega - Senator Boni Khalwale has hit out at President William Ruto's Kenya Kwanza administration for scrapping the examination fee subsidy.
Source: Facebook
What Khalwale said about examination fee waiver
In a tweet on Saturday, May 24, Khalwale opposed the plan by the Ministry of Treasury to end the KSh 5 billion examination fee waiver for parents.
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The waiver, introduced in 2015 by then-president Uhuru Kenyatta for public schools and extended to private schools in 2017, has ensured free access to the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA), the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment, and the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations.
According to the outspoken Senate Majority Whip, the move by the Kenya Kwanza government is not good.
Khalwale argued that the directive by Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi should be rationalised to apply to candidates in private schools.
"This is not a good idea. If the problem is well to do families, this directive should be rationalised so as to apply only to candidates from private schools," Khalwale said.
The Kakamega senator stated that barriers that make it difficult for Kenyans to access education, such as scrapping the fee waiver, should be eliminated.
"I firmly believe that all barriers to accessing education must be eliminated completely from our education policies and system," he added.
Source: UGC
Why government is scrapping examination fees subsidy
As reported by TUKO.co.ke, starting next year, parents will be required to pay examination fees for their children, ending a ten-year period during which candidates enjoyed a fee waiver.
CS Mbadi explained that the government will cover examination fees only for candidates identified as needy through a means-testing system similar to the controversial higher education funding model introduced in 2023.
If the proposal goes ahead, parents will be responsible for paying the fees for KPSEA, KJSEA, and KCSE examinations.
Mbadi noted that the government plans to implement a targeted subsidy approach that benefits only those learners unable to afford examination costs.
The National Treasury Cabinet Secretary confirmed that the subsidy will continue for students from low-income households.
Mbadi recognised the diverse income levels across households nationwide, pointing out that some students from wealthy families had also been benefiting from the waiver.
He explained that a selection process will be introduced to identify learners eligible for financial assistance.
The CS highlighted that this measure aims to reduce government expenditure and reallocate funds to vital sectors of the economy, as the administration strives to lessen dependence on loans.
Proofreading by Jackson Otukho, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
