Ruto scraps Uhuru’s 5b exam fee waiver
President Ruto government to end Uhuru's 10-year exam fee waiver, parents to pay.
President Ruto government to end Uhuru’s 10-year exam fee waiver, parents to pay.
The daily reported that the government plans to end the ten-year-old examination fee waiver starting next year, requiring parents to pay for their children’s national exams unless deemed needy through a means-testing system.
Cabinet Secretary for National Treasury and Economic Planning, John Mbadi, said the government will adopt a targeted subsidy model to support only those who cannot afford exam fees, though he did not specify how neediness would be determined.
Mbadi argued that parents with children in private schools paying high tuition should afford the examination fees, questioning why taxpayers should bear the costs for all students.
The waiver, introduced in 2015 by then-President Uhuru Kenyatta for public schools and extended to private schools in 2017, has ensured free access to national exams like the KCSE, KPSEA, and KJSEA.
The government has increased annual exam funding from KSh4 billion initially to KSh5 billion in recent years.
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Mbadi justified the policy shift as necessary for fiscal responsibility and fairness, dispelling rumors that this year’s exams lack funding and assuring parents not to panic.
KNEC CEO David Njeng’ere supported per capita funding instead of general grants, noting funding challenges as candidate numbers rise.
The National Parents Association chair, Silas Obuhatsa, expressed concern over the move, calling for public participation and warning that some children might be forced out of school due to their inability to pay exam fees.
He likened the plan to the controversial university funding model introduced in 2023, which has faced implementation problems and legal challenges.
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