The National Treasury has asked the Ministry of Education to find a cheaper way to manage national exams. This request comes after concerns from the Cabinet about the high costs, especially because exam printing is being done by foreign companies.
During a town hall meeting on Citizen TV on Monday night, Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi said the government is worried about the Sh11 billion that is spent each year on national assessments.
He questioned why exams are printed outside the country when important documents, like passports, are made locally.
Mbadi said, “As a Cabinet, we didn’t like how much money was being spent on exams; we didn’t understand why they are printed in another country while we can print sensitive documents here.”
He pointed out that the Ministry of Education has now been told to come up with a better and cheaper way to run national exams.
This news comes at a time when there are discussions about changing how exam fees are managed and how to make the whole process more sustainable.
Mbadi explained, “The ministry needs to create a realistic plan for running and funding exams, not the Sh11 billion we are spending now.”
His comments were made after public concern over plans to end the national exam fee waiver, which has been available since 2015.
At first, the Treasury did not include money for exams like the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) in the budget for 2024-2025. However, Mbadi has now assured Kenyans that the government will pay for this year’s national exams.
“We initially did not set aside money for exams this year, but now we have found the funds. I promise all Kenyan students that they will be able to sit for their exams. The government will cover the costs; we just need to change the system,” Mbadi said.
The earlier plan was to stop the fee waiver and only provide support for students from poorer households, while others would pay.
This change was suggested because of budget pressures, but many parents and education leaders warned that it would hurt low-income families and make it harder for them to access education.
Now, the Treasury is focused on reducing spending on exams and making sure the money is used wisely.
