Education Sector Plan: Education for All: Embracing Change, Securing Finale | Page 32

Education for All: Embracing Change, Securing the Future
2.4. Education costs and financing
Education is primarily funded by the GoSKN in St. Kitts and the NIA in Nevis. Between 2006 and 2012, GoSKN spent
on average 4.2% of the GDP on education (at market prices), with very little fluctuation over the period (0.6%), 27 and
each island invested an average of 11% of their budgets in the sector. In 2013, 16% of the GoSKN budget and 13% of
the NIA budget was committed to the sector, indicating the high value placed on education and training (see Figure 9).
Nevertheless, additional investments must be made if the MoE is to adhere to global recommendations that countries
invest 20% of their public budget in education to achieve SDG 4.
Figure 9: Percentage of total budget spent on education in SKN, 2006–2013
% Budget Spent on Education (SKN)
% Budget Spent on Education (Nevis)
16%
30
14%
12%
10%
8%
6%
4%
2%
0%
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
Year
Source: GoSKN, 2014c.
With respect to recurrent expenditure on education, the GoSKN dedicates the largest share to compulsory education,
with an average of 33% and 34% spent at the primary and secondary levels in St. Kitts between 2006 and 2013. Included
in this expenditure is the School Meals Programme, which provides free lunches to all primary school students, as
well as the Student Education Learning Fund (SELF) programme, which provides textbooks for families in need and
covers the costs of CSEC exams taken at secondary schools. 28 Over the same time period, recurrent expenditure
for NIA stood at 35% for primary level and 38% at secondary. In 2013, recurrent expenditure at pre-primary level
was 6.7% in St Kitts and 3.5% in Nevis; special education was allocated 1.5% and 1.4%, respectively, and recurrent
expenditure at post-secondary level was 12% in St. Kitts and 0.4% in Nevis. Taking into consideration the imperative
to improve access, quality, and relevance in post-secondary and tertiary level TVET, staffing expenditure at the post-
secondary level is rather low at only 20% of the value of expenditure on secondary education (UNESCO, 2014). 29
Since 2008, expenditure per pupil has trended slightly upwards, likely linked to inflation rates. In 2013, approximately
XCD $6,568.00 (USD $2,432) was spent per child at the primary level and XCD $8,349 (USD $3,092) was spent per
child at secondary school. 30 In Nevis, expenditure per child was XCD $4,689.00 (USD $1,736) at the primary level and
XCD $6,416.00 (USD $2,376) at secondary. There is no reliable information on household costs for education; however,
because most Nevis households are responsible for the cost of CSEC exams, school meals (XCD $20–25 per week),
and textbooks, it is arguable that household costs for education are higher in Nevis than in St. Kitts. 31
Because public expenditure accounts for the lion’s share of recurrent spending (primarily for employee compensation),
little funding from the public purse is available for capital projects and other programming. As a result, development
aid is often sought and secured for many education initiatives. However, it is difficult to assess the level of external
27. See http://data.un.org/CountryProfile.aspx?crName=Saint%20Kitts%20and%20Nevis.
28. Families with a household income of XCD $4,000 or less qualify for SELF textbooks. The School Meals programme is not free in Nevis.
29. Average expenditure in higher education in the OECD is approximately 50% of the value invested in secondary education (OECD, 2011:
203-223).
30. Expenditure per child was calculated using recurrent expenditure in primary and secondary education and the total number of students
at each level.
31. The Ministry of Social Development on both islands assists identified poor and indigent families with the cost of uniforms, school
meals, exam registration fees, etc.