trade-off

Kenya: Pressure from IMF might push cuts on education funding

By Herald Onyango

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Posted on January 12, 2023 12:55

© Kenya’s President William Ruto in Nairobi, Kenya November 28, 2022. REUTERS
Kenya’s President William Ruto in Nairobi, Kenya November 28, 2022. REUTERS

Smooth funding for higher education amid pressures to slash the sector’s budget is one of the fiercest challenges Kenya’s President William Ruto will be facing this year. This could tilt his relationship with the youth, who were at the core of his campaign messages.

The East African nation is torn in between protecting the human capital and trimming the education budget, which the IMF is pressing heavily. However, the recent uptick in education costs has left in limbo the continuity of university funding, amid limited national resources and inflationary pressures.

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