The Education sector received the lion’s share of the Sh3.3 trillion 2022/2023 financial year budget tabled in Parliament on Thursday.
Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani, in his budget statement for the next financial year, indicated that the government allocated Sh513.8 billion to the Education Ministry, which factors in the construction of classes for junior secondary.
Sh2.5 billion will go towards recruiting teachers, Sh5 billion for examination waivers for grades six, seven and eight while Sh1.2 billion will go towards the training of teachers. Sh294 billion was allocated to the Teachers’ Service Commission while the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) will receive Sh15.8 billion. Sh91.2 billion has been allocated to University Education.
Yatani proposed the allocation of an additional Sh2.8 billion for primary and secondary school infrastructure and Sh1.8 billion for the construction and equipping of Technical Training Institutes and Vocational Training Centres.
The county governments have been allocated Sh407 billion, Sh368.5 billion will go towards infrastructure development while National Security received Sh317.9 billion.
President Kenyatta’s Big Four agenda received an allocation of Sh146.9 billion, with Sh62.3 billion going towards Universal Health Care, Sh10.1 for manufacturing, Sh46.8 for food security, and Sh27.7 for affordable housing.
Sh39.5 billion has been allocated for social protection and affirmative budget, with the elderly getting Sh17.5 billion, while orphans and vulnerable children will get Sh7.5 billion.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) was allocated Sh27.1 billion ahead of the 2022 general elections, the Judiciary will receive Sh18.9 billion, while the National Youth Service (NYS) has been allocated Sh13.1 billion.
The Health Sector has been allocated Sh101.8 billion, with the Kenyatta National Hospital getting the largest share of Sh18 billion.
Yatani set aside Sh68.9 billion for equity, poverty reduction, women, and youth empowerment. Sh110.9 billion will go towards environmental protection, water and natural resources, the transport sector will get Sh33.5 billion, while the energy sector will receive Sh95 billion. Sports, culture, recreation, and tourism sectors have been allocated a cumulative of Sh20.9 billion.
