Gideon Moi questions govt priorities over plans to scrap free education
By Lutta Njomo, July 25, 2025Former Baringo Senator Gideon Moi, on Friday, July 25, 2025, questioned the Kenya Kwanza administration’s priorities over plans to scrap free education.
In a statement, the KANU party leader accused the government of the day of betraying the national promise, which he argued had played a central role in bringing equity and transforming lives.
The former senator questioned why the Kenya Kwanza administration was splashing millions on empowerment programmes, yet it tells the public that funding free education is unsustainable.
“The recent admission by the government that it can no longer sustain free primary education is a betrayal of a national promise that has transformed the lives and fortunes of many Kenyans,” Gideon Moi stated.
“While education, which is the most basic and consequential form of empowerment is collapsing, flashy token programs in exchange for political support, disguised as empowerment, have taken over,” he wondered.
High cost of education
At the same time, Gideon Moi decried what he termed the high cost of education in the country, right from primary to higher levels of learning.
According to Gideon Moi, the situation has been exacerbated. by delayed capitation.
“Today, the joy of excelling in exams is short-lived for many families as the reality of exorbitant cost of education kicks in when students are set to transition to secondary and tertiary institutions. Parents have now been warned that they are set to dig deeper into their pockets to fund the education of their children because capitation to schools have been reduced and delayed,” his statement stated.
“The new university funding model is shutting the door on thousands of bright young minds. The Auditor General has rightly pointed out that the model is a failure of imagination, and the dream of accessible, quality education for all is slipping away for political expediency.”
Gideon wondered whether the current administration was deliberate in punishing academic excellence due to their recent sentiments and policies in the education sector.
“As a country, we have begun punishing academic excellence instead of rewarding it. The question we must never cease asking is what kind of future are we building if education is no longer a national priority?”
Mbadi on free education
Appearing before the National Assembly Committee on Education on Thursday, July 24, 2025, Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi admitted that they can no longer fully fund free education in public primary and secondary schools.
Mbadi told the MPs that the financial burden is too heavy for the state to sustain, forcing a cut in capitation funding. He explained that the government cannot sustain Ksh22,000 per secondary school student, managing only Ksh 16,600.
“If you look at the total budget for the year and divide it by the number of total students, you will see that instead of Ksh22,000, we are funding about Ksh16,000. And so we release 50 per cent, 30 per cent , then 20 per cent. As to whether it is enough, it is not,” said Mbadi.
During the same session, Mbadi disclosed that the government was grappling with a debt of Ksh4 billion to universities.
He, however, assured the MPs that the government was keen to adopt a new strategy to ensure financial sustainability within institutions of higher learning.
“The Ministry of Education, in collaboration with universities, is expected to develop a comprehensive reform strategy that will ensure financial sustainability,” Mbadi stated.
“These strategies include reducing unnecessary administrative costs, resizing staff, outsourcing services, and rationalising satellite campuses,” he added.
Raila demands
Addressing the same issue on Friday, July 25, 2025, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga insisted that the country cannot sit back and watch the government mess with education. He directed Mbadi to ensure the funds are released.
“We cannot joke with matters of education. We, as the ODM Party we have said we want free education from primary, secondary and even tertiary level. We have said Secondary education is a must,” he asserted.
“Until the Treasury Cabinet Secretary release enough funds for secondary education, in capitation matters, no jokes again.”
Nonetheless, the Ministry of Education has downplayed fears over plans to scrap free education.