School Principals Warn of Disruption to Education Due to Delayed Capitation Funding
Numerous students in schools nationwide face the possibility of being sent home starting next week, following the government’s failure to provide sufficient capitation funding.
This situation arises after the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA) articulated its dissatisfaction with the ongoing delays in the disbursement of capitation for the second term.
School administrators have expressed concern that the postponement of over Ksh21 billion has left many institutions struggling with increasing debts, compelling them to make challenging decisions regarding resource allocation.
During a press conference on May 3, the school leaders elaborated on how the delayed funding has begun to jeopardize the operational stability of their institutions, adversely affecting critical functions ranging from administrative tasks to the maintenance of essential facilities.
“Delays in government funding invariably disrupt our services; for instance, late payments to suppliers often result in delayed deliveries,” remarked one head teacher.
“The postponement of capitation disbursement can adversely impact our schools’ performance. We urge the government to expedite the release of capitation funds to educational institutions.”
This development follows an announcement by Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, made on May 2 during the Naivasha Education Conference, regarding the government’s intention to disburse Ksh21 billion in capitation to public schools in the upcoming week.
Ogamba indicated that these funds would significantly assist school leaders in planning for the second term, which commenced on Monday. He attributed the delays in fund disbursement to the government’s constrained financial resources, noting that approximately 30 percent of the national budget is typically allocated to the education sector.
“Some government-funded programs are exceedingly expensive, which has occasionally resulted in delays in the disbursement of capitation funds to schools,” Ogamba acknowledged.
In addressing this issue, the Education Cabinet Secretary also cautioned school leaders against imposing additional levies, emphasizing that the Ministry does not permit extra charges by educational institutions.
The delays in the allocation of these essential funds have generated uncertainty regarding the future stability of public education, particularly at a time when the government is facing challenges in implementing a Competency-Based Education system.
