The government has allocated Ksh1.5 billion to pay teachers who marked the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations, with the funds set to be released this week.
This was announced by the National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, who said that the payment, initially scheduled for the 2026/2027 financial year, had been brought forward following consultations with teachers’ union officials.
“We were planning to make the payment in the next financial year, but we are pleased to inform teachers that we have now brought forward the payments,” Mbadi said.
The announcement comes amid growing concerns from teachers over delays in receiving their dues after completing the marking exercise.
Mbadi spoke during a fundraising event for the construction of offices for the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Homa Bay branch. He said he would engage Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba to ensure the issue is resolved permanently.
“We need to settle this matter once and for all. It has remained a thorny issue between the government and teachers,” he said.
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During the event, teachers also raised concerns over access to healthcare services under the Social Health Authority (SHA).
KUPPET Homa Bay Executive Secretary Tom Odhiambo and Branch Chairperson Peter Otieno said teachers continue to face several unresolved challenges that require government intervention.
Odhiambo urged the government to accredit more health facilities under SHA in the region, saying many hospitals preferred by teachers are not contracted to provide comprehensive healthcare services.
“Some of the hospitals that teachers prefer are not contracted by SHA to offer the comprehensive services they require,” he said.
Otieno, on the other hand, called on the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to confirm intern teachers and employ them on permanent and pensionable terms.
The government has deployed 44,000 intern teachers to Junior Secondary Schools, many of whom are awaiting confirmation.
“Intern teachers earn Ksh17,000 and are not entitled to medical allowances. This is not enough,” Otieno said.
Responding to the concerns, Mbadi acknowledged the challenges facing intern teachers but noted that the government currently lacks the financial capacity to absorb all of them into permanent employment.
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“We are in a difficult situation, and we need to understand each other,” he said.
The Treasury CS attributed some of the country’s economic challenges to both domestic and global factors, including geopolitical tensions such as the conflict in the Middle East.
“We need to find solutions and ways of overcoming these challenges,” he added.
Mbadi further revealed that the National Treasury targets to collect Ksh3.6 trillion in revenue in the next financial year, with approximately Sh1.5 trillion earmarked for debt repayment.
By Juma Ndigo
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