Education Committee Reviews Billions in Budget Estimates for TVET, Research and Higher Education

 The National Assembly Education Committee has reviewed budget estimates running into hundreds of billions of shillings for the State Departments of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Science, Research and Innovation, and Higher Education, with officials warning of severe funding gaps that could disrupt key education programmes.

The State Department for TVET, led by Principal Secretary Esther Muoria, told the Committee that it requires an additional KES 19.2 billion to fully fund scholarships for TVET students. She cautioned that the deficit, estimated at KES 19,162 million, could lead to rising pending bills, increased student drop-outs, and potential legal disputes with suppliers due to unpaid obligations.

The department also requested KES 589 million as Government of Kenya counterpart funding to support the establishment and upgrading of equipment in TVET workshops across 69 institutions. According to Muoria, the investment would modernize training facilities and ensure students gain hands-on skills using up-to-date equipment.

In a separate presentation, the State Department for Science, Research and Innovation, led by Principal Secretary Shaukat Abdulrazak, raised concern over what it termed a breach of budgetary procedures after its development allocation was effectively reduced to zero. The department said it had initially been allocated KES 1.312 billion in the Budget Policy Statement, but the funds were later reallocated to another vote.

Abdulrazak described the move as a violation of established budget processes and urged Parliament to intervene and restore the funding to support ongoing research and innovation programmes.

Meanwhile, the State Department for Higher Education, headed by Principal Secretary Beatrice Inyangala, reported a significant shortfall in the 2026/27 financial year. The department had requested KES 311.9 billion for recurrent expenditure and KES 11.4 billion for development, but the proposed allocations stand at KES 155.2 billion and KES 8.9 billion respectively—leaving a recurrent funding gap of more than 50 per cent.

The department, which oversees universities and key agencies including the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) and the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS), said the allocations are expected to support the new higher education funding model, student loans, scholarships, and research programmes.

In her remarks, Inyangala noted that funding for student loans and scholarships has been increased as part of government efforts to improve access and equity in higher education.

Committee Vice Chairperson Eve Obara assured the departments that the Committee would follow up on the issues raised, particularly the disputed budget reallocations and funding shortfalls affecting critical education programmes.