Teachers, lecturers top gainers in mini budget

Teachers and lecturers are the biggest beneficiaries of the Sh40 billion supplementary budget, which was tabled in the National Assembly on Wednesday.

The Teachers Service Commission was allocated Sh16 billion, which is likely to go towards the recruitment of 68,000 intern teachers.

The commission had also requested Sh5 billion for recruitment of 12,696 teachers annually for the next four years, to ensure 100 per cent transition from primary to secondary school.

On Tuesday, TSC chief executive Nancy Macharia told National Assembly’s Education committee that the commission had requested funds to hire intern teachers to address shortage in public schools.

LECTURERS' PAY
At the same time, the State Department of University Education has received Sh5.7 billion, which is expected to be used to implement the collective bargaining agreements between the government and lecturers.

The lecturers have been on strike for the past one month, demanding Sh38 billion to implement their 2017-2021 CBA.

Universities had offered Sh6.8 billion, but subject to government approval.

In the supplementary budget, the basic education department has been allocated Sh1.9 billion, with a big chunk of the funds set to go to paying teachers’ allowances.

The department’s development kitty has also gone up by Sh2.6 billion.

RECURRENT EXPENDITURE
However, Sh1.3 billion was chopped from its development budget to finance recurrent expenditure.

Universities have also been affected by the reductions, as Sh7.2 billion has been taken from their development allocation.

The supplementary budget, which was tabled Majority Leader Aden Duale, shows that the government has drastically reduced its development spending to fund recurrent expenditure.

The Sh40.8 billion has been slashed from the Sh577.2 billion allocated for development in the supplementary budget.

The recurrent expenditure has received Sh23.2 billion.

The recurrent expenditure includes Sh17.5 billion allocated to the Ministry of Health, down from Sh18.1 billion.

To finance the ministry’s recurrent budget, National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich has reduced funds allocated for development by Sh641 million.

DEVELOPMENT
The department of Planning and Statistics, which is preparing to carry out the national census, has been allocated Sh4.65 billion for development and Sh445 million for recurrent expenditure.

The Infrastructure department’s development budget has been slashed by Sh34 billion.

However, the Transport docket’s development budget has increased to Sh17.5 billion, from Sh15.1 billion.

Other beneficiaries in the supplementary budget are the National Intelligence Service, which has been allocated Sh2.2 billion for recurrent expenditure and the Judiciary, which got Sh1.2 billion for development and Sh350 million for recurrent expenditure.

MPs' OFFICES
The Presidency has been allocated Sh1 billion more for recurrent expenditure and Sh132.4 million for development.

The increase is mainly geared towards compensating employees, operation and maintenance expenses as well as facilitating the operations of the Cabinet and State House.

However, the Parliamentary Service Commission lost Sh1.1 billion in development budget and Sh160 million in recurrent expenditure.

The reduction is likely to affect the completion of the Sh2.5 billion office block for the MPs.

The Auditor-General’s office also lost Sh128.4 million in development but got Sh82.5 million in recurrent expenditure.

NLC
Meanwhile, the State Law Office received Sh256 million for development and Sh152 million for payment of staff salaries and allowances.

The National Land Commission has been allocated Sh173 million for development and Sh40 million for recurrent expenditure.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission however had its development budget slashed by Sh200 million while the National Police Service got Sh80 million to help fight crime.