Senators now want the National Treasury to prioritise the timely release of school capitation monies to end the perennial cash flow challenges facing public schools nationwide.
The outstanding arrears now pass Sh64 billion.
The development follows delays by the national government in releasing outstanding capitation grants to public schools.
Two weeks ago, school heads complained that they were owed about Sh7 billion in outstanding capitation for the first term of 2025, with schools set to close by April 4, 2025.
Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA) chairman Willy Kuria said the Sh7 billion was in addition to the Sh60 billion owed by the Treasury to the Ministry of Education for unfunded pupils from 2023.
Mr Kuria said schools were struggling to pay staff salaries and meet statutory deductions for workers and board members.
As a result, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna said the government needs to put in place a long-term strategy to prevent delays in the payment of the capitation grant and ensure continuous funding for school operations, infrastructure and payment of suppliers.
He pointed out that the Senate Committee on Education should investigate why the National Treasury has failed to release capitation funds despite the urgent cash flow problems facing public schools across the country.
“The committee should inform the House on safeguards being implemented to protect school principals and management from potential legal and financial liabilities due to unpaid suppliers and increasing pressure from other stakeholders,” said the ODM Secretary-General.
KESSA boss noted that the partial disbursement has placed schools in a precarious financial position, creating challenges in meeting operational costs and delivering quality education.
He said the learners' population data in secondary schools using the 2024 Ministry of Education data was 3 million. The total annual capitation per learner is Sh22,244, with 50 per cent which is Sh11,122 expected to be disbursed in the first term.
“As we approach the end of the term, schools are still owed Sh2,303 per learner for the first term of 2025. We would like to respectfully remind the Ministry of Education that this amount is not the full capitation entitlement for our learners,” said Mr Kuria.
Nominated Senator Esther Okenyuri said the government should prioritise sending capitation to schools as school heads are having a rough time keeping their schools afloat.
“We are not going to expect heads of schools to use their own money to run the school. I want to implore the government to prioritise sending capitation to schools, so that heads of schools can pay support staff money, and provide food for the students so that we can keep our students in school,” said Ms Okenyuri.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba had last month admitted that the government is yet to disburse full capitation to secondary schools for term 1, which comes to an end this week.
“Of course, we sent half of the capitation, because annually we send 50 percent in the first term, 30 per cent in the second term and 20 per cent in the third term so principals are right. But since we are in the first term, they should have enough resources to run,” said Mr Ogamba.
He added that his ministry will ensure as schools reopen the capitation for the second term is in place.
“We are working towards ensuring the capitation does not delay, but because of financial challenges sometimes that happens. But we try to ensure it is in place. But the capitation for the first term, the 50 per cent allocation was released,” he said.
The CS’s statement followed a complaint by the schools’ heads association that they are yet to receive a substantial amount of money with less than two weeks before they close for the second term.
The association urged the ministry to prioritise addressing the financial gap to ensure the smooth functioning of schools and the continued well-being of thousands of students across the country.
Nominated Senator Beatrice Ogola said schools have calendars which must be followed if there is to be any success in schools.
She explained schools can only be efficient and effective if funds meant for their operation are disbursed to them in time.
“All we are saying is that these monies must be disbursed in time if we want success and our students to learn in time,” said Ms Ogola. “Success is not instant coffee. There must be an investment in the success that we require in our schools. We cannot expect success if the Government does not invest in these schools.”
The lawmaker added that the monies have already been budgeted for by the Ministry of Education and some of the funds are used to build infrastructure in schools.
“All the activities that happen in school happen because of certain resources that are given to the schools. Schools use part of this money to pay certain teachers where there are shortages,” she said.
