A section of public secondary schools might close this week in an effort to alleviate financial strain stemming from delayed disbursement of capitation funds .
Educationdailynews reports that numerous secondary institutions are facing significant financial hurdles and may have to send students home.
As per the revised school calendar, the term commenced on January 8, 2024, with the official closing date slated for April 5.
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Johnson Nzioka, the National Chairman of the Kenya Primary Schools Association (Kepsha), expressed the difficulty in sustaining school operations due to the prolonged wait for promised funds.
Parents have been receiving messages from schools, prompting them to collect their children.
“I just received a notification to pick up my child before the Easter holiday,” mentioned a parent in Nairobi.
Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Secretary-General Akelo Misori criticized the government for not fulfilling its commitment to disburse capitation funds, resulting in early closures.
Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Secretary-General Akelo Misori
Misori emphasized that schools won’t resume operations until the funds are released and urged lawmakers to allocate sufficient funds for public schools and hire additional teachers.
Last week, Basic Education PS Bellio Kipsang assured that the school capitation would be disbursed to institutions within the week.
Under the free primary education and free day secondary education policies, the government allocates Sh1,420 and Sh22,244, respectively, per learner as capitation funds annually. These funds are supposed to be disbursed termly using a 50:30:20 formula.
While the National Treasury released Sh31.34 billion in capitation ahead of schools’ reopening in January, this amount was only a fraction of what was expected. Schools have been forced to close early due to the inability to cater to learners’ needs, leading to a loss of learning time.
Despite the challenges, there’s a ray of hope as the government pledges to address the financial shortfall affecting schools, ensuring the continuity of education for all learners.
