By Christine Akinyi Onyango

Ghetto FM has looked into the claim that the Kenyan government spends 5.3 % of its GDP on Education and finds it to be true. The claim emanated from a tweet by Amref CEO Dr. Githinji Gitahi.

The tweet posted on July 13, 2021, indicated that despite the significant budget allocation towards education, the investment was hampered by factors like inadequate sexual and reproductive health services, including paralysis on age-appropriate sex education in schools impacting girls negatively. 

Dr. Githinji acknowledged that investments in the education sector were ideal for building the country’s human capital. 

In recent years, the government has increasingly expanded its budget allocation toward education. Most of the budgetary allocation has been in line with the recommendation by the Global Campaign for Education that state funding for education amount to 20% of public expenditure.

According to the World Bank development indicators, the government’s expenditure on education as a percentage of the GDP was reported at 5.08 % in 2020.

Since 2013, Kenya’s public spending on education, percent of GDP, has steadily remained above 5%. In 2013 the share was at 5.1%, 2014 (5.41%). 2015 (5.28%), 2016 (5.36%), 2017 (5.37%), 2018 (5.31%). The figure only dropped below 5% in 2019 after an allocation of 4.9%. 

GHETTO FM has looked into the claim that Kenya is spending 5.3% of its GDP on education and finds it to be TRUE.

Image: Photo by Emmanuel Ikwuegbu on Pexels

 This story was produced by GHETTO FM partnership with Code for Africa, Kenya Community Media Network and the Catholic Media Council with support from the German Cooperation as a part of the Our County Our Responsibility project.