Education Ministry Allocates Sh24bn: School Heads Express Discontent
The Ministry of Education has released Sh24 billion in capitation funds to primary and secondary schools along with warnings to principals not to send students home for nonpayment of school fees.
The amount falls short by Sh4 billion of what Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu promised to send to schools a week ago.
This follows reports that schools have begun sending students home to collect fees due to the delayed distribution of funds.
Despite the delay, 85 percent of parents had paid school fees, according to Mr. Machogu.
By Friday of the previous week, schools had received the funds, but principals and other education stakeholders complained that the funds were inadequate to cover the schools’ enormous debts.
Some principals who spoke to Nation on the condition of anonymity stated that they are struggling to manage their schools.
“We do not know how to use these funds given the debts we have incurred, but we have received a small capitation payment. We cannot rely on school fees, especially for national boarding schools like mine,” stated a principal.
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Four billion
Now, school administrators want the Ministry of Education to distribute circulars outlining how the funds should be utilized.
Omboko Milemba, member of parliament for Emuhaya and national chair of the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers, stated last week that the CS had assured the National Assembly that Sh28 billion would be sent to schools.
“The CS promised the National Assembly a transfer of Sh28 billion, but he fell short by approximately Sh4 billion.” I wish to inform Kenyans that the actual amount sent to schools was only Sh24 billion. The CS lied to Congress. “He must come clean and explain why he lied,” Mr. Milemba stated.
The schools will use this amount to pay off their debts from the previous year. But nothing has been sent regarding the management of tuition and other school-related obligations for this year,” he added.
Mr. Machogu stated that there was no crisis in schools and that boarding schools collect tuition from parents and are not bankrupt, contrary to what some principals claim.
“For instance, national schools collect approximately Sh53,000 per child per year, and I am aware that parents pay school fees. We’re giving them money this week, so there is no cause for alarm. Last week’s public holiday caused the delays, but everything is fine,” the CS reported.
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In an interview with Nation, the CS advised schools to make prudent use of the fees they collect while awaiting capitation.
“[In] every school there are 15% of parents who do not pay tuition. Nevertheless, 85 percent of parents are accountable and pay tuition, according to our data. It is improper for schools to send students home for lack of fees, he continued.
He stated that sending students home unnecessarily will impede the completion of the curriculum.
“However, we strongly encourage parents to pay fees,” the CS said.
Mr. Machogu assured schools on Wednesday of last week that they would receive their capitation funds by Friday, one month after schools reopened.
Some principals have advocated for the closure of educational institutions as a result of high commodity prices.
In response to MPs’ concerns regarding the delay in releasing the funds, Mr. Machogu urged principals to compare market prices to those offered by the Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC).
“Where schools cannot obtain a price of Sh4,500 per bag of maize or even beans, they should purchase from KNTC,” the CS advised.
Education Ministry Allocates Sh24bn: School Heads Express Discontent
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