Nominated MP Sabina Chege has called for urgent answers from the Ministry of Education over reports that the government may scrap free primary and secondary education. In a candid interview, the pro-Ruto MP said the issue transcends politics and must be addressed in Parliament to safeguard Kenya’s future.
Jubilee Party-nominated Member of Parliament Sabina Chege has called for urgent clarification and accountability from the government over reports that free primary and secondary education could be scrapped.
Speaking during an exclusive interview on K24 TV on Friday, July 25, 2025, the outspoken legislator, who is aligned with President William Ruto’s administration, said that the matter touches on the future of millions of Kenyan children and should not be politicised.
In an unusually candid moment, Chege—herself a former chair of the parliamentary committee on education—acknowledged the gravity of the situation and said Parliament had not been informed of any formal changes to the policy.
“We need to ask the Minister to come and explain. But explanation alone is not enough. We need a solution. This is not about whether you are in government or in opposition. This is about the future. This is about the education of our children and our country,” she said.
Chege added that no formal recommendation had been tabled by the Education Committee in Parliament, but that the issue would be raised in the House next week.
Her remarks come amid mounting public concern over claims that the Ministry of Education is considering discontinuing free basic education, a flagship social program that has benefited millions of children since its introduction in 2003 under President Mwai Kibaki.
While the government has yet to issue a formal statement on the matter, education stakeholders have raised alarm over the recent delay in capitation funds, deteriorating school infrastructure, and increasing pressure on parents to fill the funding gap.
Chege, who previously served as Murang’a Woman Representative, reminded Kenyans that education is a constitutional right, and any move to dilute that right should be resisted.
“This country cannot afford to go backwards. If we fail our children, we fail the nation,” she stated.
The debate over free education is likely to spark heated political discourse in the coming week, with MPs from both sides expected to pressure Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu to clarify the government’s position.
