Treasury slashes money for laptops by Sh3.6 billion

The budget for laptops to schools has been slashed from Sh17 billion in last year’s budget to Sh13.4 billion in the new financial year that starts in July.

In his summary for the 2016/2017 budget submitted to the National Assembly, Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich has also reduced money to universities, free primary and secondary education.

The money will be used for the laptops, development of digital content, training teachers and computer laboratories for primary schools countrywide, said Mr Rotich.

Last month, during the State of the Nation address, President Uhuru Kenyatta said the laptops for one million Standard One pupils were being tested.

Moi University and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, in February this year, won the tender to supply the laptops.

They have been demonstrating their ability by connecting 150 selected urban, peri-urban and rural schools across the 47 counties.

Mr Rotich has allocated Sh32 billion for primary and day secondary schools from Sh32.7 billion in the current year.

Free primary education will get Sh14 billion down from Sh14.1 billion.

A total of Sh4.5 billion has been set aside to recruit and promote teachers while Sh2.8 billion will pay the second phase of teachers’ house allowance.

Teachers’ unions have been pushing for recruitment of more teachers.

Technical training institutes will get Sh2.5 billion while Sh400 million will go towards buying sanitary towels for schoolgirls.

School feeding will get Sh2.5 billion while Sh1.5 billion will be used to pay examination fees for this year’s Standard Eight and Form Four candidates.