Learners at Risk as Kenya Scraps 2025 National Exam Budget
More than 2.5 million learners across Kenyan schools could miss this year’s national examinations and assessments after the budget proposed for administering the tests was excluded from the 2025/26 financial plan.
Appearing before a Parliamentary Committee on Tuesday, Principal Secretary for Basic Education Julius Bittok and other senior officials from the Ministry of Education failed to clarify why no funds were allocated for the 2025 national exams.
The government initially proposed Ksh. 6 billion to cover key assessments, including the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE). Others are the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) and the Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA). However, the final budget estimates indicate a “0” allocation for these critical national tests.
The omission has sparked concern among learners, education stakeholders, and lawmakers. Fears are mounting over the future of millions of candidates who now face uncertainty.
