Treasury releases Sh7bn for free learning

The Treasury has released Sh7bn for free learning in primary and secondary schools.

Finance minister Njeru Githae said Sh5.15bn will fund the Free Day School Education (FDSE) while Sh1.85bn will go towards the Free Primary Education (FPE).

Mr Githae said the funds will be released "immediately" in a move meant to avert a teachers' strike that had been called for Thursday.

After a meeting that went on for over three hours, Mr Njeru Githae told reporters last evening that the government would release money to ensure no learning is interrupted.

“To ensure that learning continues uninterrupted, the government has made arrangements to immediately release the remaining balance of 21 per cent for FPE and 28 per cent for free Day Secondary Programme,” said Mr Githae.

With this release, Treasury said it would now have disbursed “100 per cent” of all the monies required for the free primary programme and two thirds of that meant for free day secondary education.

Those at the meeting included Education minister Mutula Kilonzo, his PS Goeorge Godia, Treasury PS Joseph Kinnyua and Mr Githae.

The move as teachers were threatening to go on strike over what they termed as negligence on the part of the government in releasing the money.

Last week, both Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) and Kenya Post Primary Teachers Union (Kuppet) warned they had run out of patience and would down their tools.

“With the release of funds, I would like to call for Kuppet and Knut who were planning for a strike that there is no need now," said Mr Githae.

“The threat of a strike becomes inconsequential as soon as Treasury releases the money,” said Mr Kilonzo.