Days to the end of the first month of the Term One, public schools are yet to receive funds for the Free Day Secondary School Education from the government.
On Monday, the Education ministry acknowledged the financial crisis that has gripped schools even as it blamed National Treasury’s failure to honour the promises it has made since December 2024 to send the cash on “cash flow problems”.
Education ministry officials on Monday held a meeting with representatives of secondary school principals to calm matters over the delayed disbursements.
Basic Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang confirmed the meeting and told the Nation that the funds would be disbursed to schools by the end of this week.
“It’s true, the money is not yet in the school accounts. We hope to finalise the disbursement by Friday but there’s no problem. It’s a whole issue of cash flow but we’re working on it together with our colleagues at the National Treasury,” Dr Kipsang said.
Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (Kessha) national chair Willy Kuria, who attended the meeting in Nairobi, said Dr Kipsang acknowledged the dire situation is schools.
A week ago, Finance Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi announced that funds would be sent to schools in the same week.
According to his announcement, the money should have reached the schools' accounts by Friday January 24, 2025.
“We are in agreement that the situation is pathetic in day schools. Imagine one month with no money. But we have been assured by the PS that the funds will be released this week at 50 per cent. We are waiting,” Mr Kuria said.
However, the chairman said if the funds will be wired to school accounts this week, the situation will become unbearable.
“If the funds are not dispatched this week the situation will be unbearable. We might start to call parents to support schools. Day schools depend purely on capitation funds,” said Mr Kuria.
The funds cater for tuition and operational fees only. Another principal who spoke to Nation in confidence said that running schools has been a challenge for the government, and that schools should be allowed to charge tuition fees.
The situation this year has been made worse by the lack of Form One admissions after the 8-4-4 structure was phased out of primary schools.
"Form One students would give us a lot of revenue which would be used to rescue the situation in case of a delay in the disbursement of capitation funds,” explained James Okeno the principal of Gendia Secondary School in Rachuonyo North.
"We cannot pay workers or settle bills due to the delays. The financial crisis should be addressed as fast as possible to avoid more problems.”
He told of administrators’ dilemma since they are not allowed to send home because of delayed fees payment.
The meeting between the PS and Kessha officials happened even as head teachers in charge of primary and junior school claimed that the capitation funds disbursed to their schools last week were inadequate.
The head teachers who are in charge of comprehensive schools (pre-primary, primary and junior schools in one compound) protested that the ministry disbursed only half of the money meant for first term.
They now plan to meet union officials to discuss their next course of action. The ministry has not yet issued a circular detailing vote heads against which the schools should utilise the over Sh19 billion sent to primary and junior schools last week.
“The money reflected in school accounts from Friday but we are yet to touch it. How do we allocate it? The money is too little, we don’t know what to do. Do we pay debts or use the money for other things?” asked a head teacher of a comprehensive school in Makueni County.
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) deputy secretary-general, Hesbon Otieno said the union is concerned over the capitation challenges in schools.
“We are aware that the government pronounced itself that it will release capitation on time but up to now most schools are yet to receive the disbursement. This is hampering school programmes,” said Mr Otieno.
He said for the last two weeks some principals in secondary schools have sent learners home for non-payment of school fees.
“We have asked our head teachers and principals to give us a clear picture of the situation in schools,” he added.
Speaking to the Nation, the union official said schools are not operating optimally with Grade 9 learners adversely affected.
“Grade 9 is supposed to be uninterrupted. The leadership of all comprehensive schools are checking their schools so that we face the MoE. Schools can’t work without capitation,” said Mr Otieno.
“The funds are used to carry out many activities including procurement of stationery, equipment among other essentials. For instance, junior schools need equipment for science experiments and do not have enough furniture to for Grade 9 learners,” he added.
He said learners are losing a lot in the first term. The Kenya Primary Schools Headteachers Association national vice chairman Fuad Ali confirmed that some comprehensive schools had received capitation.
“I have spoken to some of our members who have confirmed that they had received the capitation,” he said.
