Millions of children in Kenya’s arid areas and urban informal settlements face uncertainty as delays and shortfalls in the supplementary budget threaten critical school support programmes, including feeding and infrastructure initiatives.
Lawmakers have warned that inadequate funding could force many learners to drop out or miss classes.
The State Department of Basic Education says the school feeding programme, which supports 2.6 million children, requires Sh12.7 billion, yet only Sh4.7 billion has been allocated. The gap has sparked concern over potential increases in absenteeism and long-term impacts on education for vulnerable learners.
The issue was discussed during a session on Tuesday between the Committee on Education and Principal Secretary Julius Bitok, who presented the Supplementary Estimates I for the 2025/2026 financial year.
Lugari MP Nabii Nabwera expressed alarm over the consequences of underfunding.
“The impact of this shortage of funds is severe. We are talking about children who depend on this programme to stay in school. Without adequate funding, we risk increased absenteeism and dropout rates,” he said.
Bitok confirmed that the programme’s shortfall is significant, noting that its main focus is learners in arid and semi-arid regions. Some MPs, however, called for expanding support to include children in urban informal settlements. Kibra MP Peter Orero highlighted the growing food insecurity among city learners.
“Children in informal settlements are equally vulnerable. Limiting the programme to arid areas ignores a growing population of food-insecure learners in urban centres,” he said.
Parliamentarians also raised concerns over school infrastructure funding. The supplementary budget sets aside Sh361 million for primary schools and Sh510 million for junior secondary schools, allocations that many lawmakers say are insufficient to meet pressing needs.
Nandi Woman Representative Rebecca Tonkei and Teso South MP Mary Emaase noted that rural schools continue to operate in unsafe conditions.
“There must be equity in the distribution of infrastructure funds. We still have schools with mud walls, leaking roofs and unsafe classrooms. These learners deserve dignity,” Tonkei said.
Emaase urged prioritising basic improvements in underserved schools before allocating large sums to a few institutions, while Luanda MP Dick Maungu warned that the current allocations fall short of addressing serious challenges.
“We have learners studying under trees and in unsafe classrooms. The allocations we are seeing cannot meaningfully address these challenges,” he said.
The committee pushed for transparency, demanding the Ministry provide a full list of schools benefiting from both feeding and infrastructure programmes. Kitutu Masaba MP Clive Gesiro emphasised deliberate equity, particularly for rural schools lagging behind.
Defending the allocations, Bitok said infrastructure funds follow ongoing projects and donor-supported programmes such as the Kenya Primary Education Equity in Learning Programme. He noted that pending bills of Sh7.7 billion and competing budget pressures limit the government’s ability to expand funding.
Committee Chair Melly instructed the Ministry to submit detailed information on feeding programme beneficiaries and schools set to receive infrastructure funds. Bitok also appealed for Sh66 billion in the supplementary budget to cover urgent needs, including payments for KNEC exam supervisors, capitation, and feeding for learners in arid areas.
