Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

top

Kenya

Sh4bn set aside for exam fee waiver in far reaching reforms

Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich indicated that no student will have to pay monies to sit their examinations/FILE

NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 30 – The government has allocated Sh4 billion for the examination fees waiver for all Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) and the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) candidates who will sit their examinations this year.

While delivering his budget speech on Thursday, Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich indicated that no student will have to pay monies to sit their examinations.

“As promised by the Jubilee Administration, the government has rolled out the digital literacy program to public primary schools across the country. The government targets to finish the remaining ones by the end of this year,” he stated.

“To further entrench digital; literacy among our students and cover the remainder of pupils across the country, I have allocate Sh13.4 billion for the deployment of digital devices to schools,” he said.

He reiterated that all registered exam candidates will cease using index numbers but will have Unique Personal Identifier (UPI) numbers to use throughout their learning.

Most schools index numbers are issued based on the performance of a specific examination.

Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi had said that the new system will make it easier for education officials to track the progress of students throughout their educational life.

The UPI will also come in handy when the government, through the Higher Education Loans Board, tracks students for repayment of their government loans.

He further urged Kenya National Examinations Council chairman George Magoha to ensure the UPI system is implemented as soon as possible.

The Treasury CS further allocated Sh14 billion for free primary education, Sh33 billion to free secondary education and Sh2 billion to recruiting new teachers.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

“Mr Speaker, Kenya’s education system is highly ranked regionally and globally. This means Kenya has strengthened in its talent pool and could leverage to attract investors as well as become a strong exporter of talent in the region,” he said.

“Indeed, the ongoing curriculum review efforts which shifts to a competency based framework is an essential part of the drive to for retaining Kenya’s competitive human resource advantage,” he stated.

He allocated a further Sh13.4billion for the deployment of digital devices in schools.

The CS also gave the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) Sh10 billion to help students both in Public and Private Universities complete their education.

About The Author

Comments
Advertisement

More on Capital News