NYAHURURU, Kenya, June 1 – The government intends to increase its budgetary allocation to the education sector by 30 percent in the next financial year.
Planning and National Development minister Wycliffe Oparanya said enhanced budgetary allocation would ensure challenges in the sector are addressed.
"The shift in expenditure is deliberate and is meant to ensure that the country achieves Universal Primary Education as required by the Millennium Declaration of 2000 to which Kenya is a signatory," he said.
The minister said the government was committed to implement the goals which have helped raise the gross enrolment rate to over 100%.
"Education remains a key development priority for the government given its importance to impact positively on overall development in the country and hence the government continues to spend substantial amounts of money on the sector to ensure it contributes positively to the growth of our economy". He said.
The minister’s remarks were contained in a speech read on his behalf by Ol-Kalou MP Erastus Mureithi during cerebrations to mark the Silver jubilee of Busara Forest View Academy in Nyandarua North district on Sunday.
The Planning minister noted that provision of quality education was one of the major challenges facing the government and hence called on other stakeholders in the sector to team up with the government to ensure the goals are achieved.
"The government is encouraging partnerships with the private sector to ensure affordable and quality education in the country," Mr Oparanya said.
On his part, Mr. Mureithi said there was need for the government to start granting bursaries to private schools to enable bright student from poor families to access quality education.
"Such partnerships will help in producing the human resource and leadership required to steer the country to the desired social-economic development," the Ol-Kalou M.P said.
Mr Mureithi also challenged the government to increase the number of both National and Provincial secondary schools in the country so as to ensure that more pupils graduating from primary schools get access to national schools.
Busara Forest View Academy Managing Director Wangui Karanja urged the government to continue supporting private learning institutions.
"These schools contribute enormously to ensure an educated generation in the country," she said.
Busara academy produced two out of the top ten students in last year’s Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination.
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