Kenya National Assembly: Passes Kenya Basic Education Amendment Bill 2025 for APBET Funding

• Kenya's National Assembly passed the Basic Education (Amendment) Bill, 2025, aiming to formally recognize APBET institutions.
• The Bill seeks to integrate informal schools into the national education framework and enable public funding for thousands of learners.
• It addresses significant educational disparities, particularly for children in informal settlements where APBETs often outnumber public schools.
• Key provisions include defining APBETs as basic education institutions, ensuring their representation in education structures, and facilitating funding for infrastructure and materials.
• The legislation also mandates county governments to maintain APBET databases and introduces flexible registration requirements to enhance oversight and support.

This legislative development is poised to grant formal recognition to these informal schools and could unlock crucial public funding for the thousands of students they serve.

The Kenyan National Assembly has recently passed the Basic Education (Amendment) Bill, 2025, marking a pivotal moment for Alternative Provision for Basic Education and Training (APBET) institutions across the nation. This legislative development is poised to grant formal recognition to these informal schools and could unlock crucial public funding for the thousands of students they serve. Sponsored by Mathare Member of Parliament Anthony Oluoch, the proposed law seeks to integrate APBET institutions into Kenya's official basic education framework, thereby addressing significant educational disparities, particularly for children residing in informal settlements and marginalized communities.

During the Bill's Second Reading, MP Oluoch emphasized that these proposed reforms are designed to bolster the constitutional commitments to equality, human dignity, and the fundamental right to education, as enshrined in Articles 10, 27, 43, and 53 of the Kenyan Constitution. This move represents a concerted effort to ensure that all children, regardless of their socio-economic background or location, have access to quality education, aligning with broader Kenya education law reforms.

The critical role of APBET institutions in providing education to children in informal settlements was underscored by Kibra MP Peter Orero. He highlighted that in areas like Kibra, these informal schools significantly outnumber public educational facilities; for instance, Kibra hosts approximately 300 APBET schools compared to just 11 public primary schools. Consequently, a substantial number of students in these regions rely solely on APBETs for their basic education. Orero passionately advocated for parliamentary support, stressing that formal recognition would enable children in informal settlements to benefit directly from government support, ensuring resources reach them through their schools.

Seme MP James Nyikal further elaborated on the existing challenges, noting that the absence of official recognition has created a substantial funding deficit. This gap has left vulnerable learners without adequate public assistance, despite education being a constitutional right in Kenya. Nyikal pointed out that in many areas, APBET institutions educate more children than formal schools, yet they remain excluded from essential funding, highlighting the urgent need for APBET institutions funding Kenya.

Should it be enacted, the Basic Education (Amendment) Bill, 2025, proposes several transformative changes. Foremost among these is the inclusion of APBET institutions within the legal definition of basic education institutions. This reclassification would also ensure their representation within both national and county education governance structures, providing a voice for these previously overlooked schools. The legislation is also designed to facilitate direct funding for infrastructure development and the provision of learning materials, potentially channeling increased public investment into schools that cater to children in informal settlements.

Furthermore, the Bill mandates county governments to establish and maintain comprehensive databases of APBET institutions, offering a clearer understanding of their numbers, locations, and the student populations they serve. It also introduces greater flexibility in the registration requirements for these schools. These provisions are intended to enhance governmental oversight while simultaneously strengthening the support mechanisms for informal schools government support Kenya, ensuring accountability and improved educational standards.

The passage of this Bill by the National Assembly signifies a crucial stride towards integrating APBET institutions into the mainstream of Kenya’s educational system. Ruaraka MP Francis Kajwang voiced his support, describing the formal acknowledgment of APBET institutions as long overdue, lamenting the extended period it took to recognize vulnerable children in informal settlements and rural areas who lack educational access.

If the proposed law comes into effect, APBET schools are expected to gain enhanced visibility and regulatory standing. More importantly, they would likely become eligible for increased government support, covering vital areas such as infrastructure, learning materials, and other essential educational needs. These reforms are anticipated to have a profound and direct positive impact on thousands of learners who depend on informal schools for their access to basic education, reinforcing the children's right to education Kenya.

Lawyers advising educational institutions, particularly those supporting informal schools (APBETs), should monitor the enactment of this Bill for new registration requirements, funding opportunities, and compliance obligations. It also provides a stronger legal basis for advocating for the right to education for children in informal settlements.

Source: Original reporting via Kenyan National Assembly.