Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki on Tuesday promised free education in public secondary schools starting next year, a move that would drastically reduce the cost of learning.
Kibaki made the pledge at a May Day speech to thousands of workers in the capital’s Uhuru (Independence) gardens in a year in which he is expected to seek re-election.
”With effect from January 2008, my government will meet the cost of tuition in all public secondary schools, at a cost of 4,3-billion shillings [$63-million],” he said.
”In addition, the government has reviewed the cost of the running of all secondary schools in order to reduce the cost burden to the poor households,” he added.
Tuition fees — including books and other tools for learning — are the main costs involved in Kenyan education, but more than 70% of Kenyan secondary schools charge extra fees for boarding, transport and food.
If Kibaki’s pledge is implemented, Kenya will become the second country in sub-Saharan Africa to introduce free secondary education after Uganda, which launched a pilot programme in March.
Kibaki’s government introduced free primary education in January 2003, attracting more than 1,5-million children previously unable to afford schooling.
But the government has faced a funding shortfall in recent months owing to a higher-than-expected demand for free primary education.
The United Nations Children’s Fund and other Western donors bailed out the government to continue with the programme.
Political analysts said Kibaki made the move in anticipation of December elections when he is expected to face political opponents who have already vowed to introduce free secondary education. — Sapa-AFP