Back to School: Financial Woes Overshadow New Term

Back to School: Financial Woes Overshadow New Term

As the Second Term commences this week, schools are grappling with delayed capitation, massive debts, fee arrears, overcrowding, and deteriorating infrastructure. These difficulties have been compounded by a directive from Controller of Budget (CoB) Margaret Nyakang’o, which prohibits counties from awarding bursaries to secondary school students, restricting county support to early childhood education only. This has left millions of students who relied on such aid facing uncertainty.

School heads report switching off their phones to evade suppliers demanding payment for goods and services supplied as far back as last year. Simultaneously, many secondary schools have instructed that students with outstanding fees will not be allowed back, as parents, heavily dependent on county bursaries, scramble to settle their dues.

The reopening coincides with a period when Kenyans are dealing with diminished disposable incomes. New statutory deductions such as the Social Health Insurance Fund and the Housing Levy have slashed salaries by up to 40 percent, even though official inflation rates remain low. This financial pressure is extending into learning institutions, where unpaid fees have accumulated into millions.

At Malava High School, parents owe a staggering Sh18 million, according to principal Elphas Luvaso. He urged parents to meet their obligations, warning that students with unpaid fees would be sent home. Benson Manoo, principal of Machakos School, disclosed that government funds barely cover operational costs, and with parents defaulting, schools are forced into debts with suppliers. Manoo added, “We are running schools on goodwill and prayers.”

Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association chairman Willie Kuria explained that school heads are caught between adhering to government policies that prohibit sending students home over fee arrears and the need to maintain school operations. “We are expected to keep students in school without sufficient funds to pay teachers or provide meals,” he remarked, illustrating the impossible situation many principals face.

Kuria highlighted that approximately 98 percent of parents are under financial stress regarding back-to-school expenses, with over half from single-headed households, and 72 percent raising two or more children.

Regional Impact: Coast and Beyond

In Mombasa, Shimo La Tewa Boys reported fee arrears exceeding Sh3 million and announced that students with unpaid balances would not be admitted to class. A parent lamented that despite their efforts, without government intervention, sustaining schools would remain a struggle.

Parents who received aid from the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) were disappointed by the small amounts. “I received Sh4,000 from Kisauni NG-CDF, yet my son’s term fees amount to Sh18,000,” said Aisha Ndegwa from Mlaleo, Kisauni Constituency.

In Kilifi, Kadii Mwaro, a mother of two, voiced her frustration over the discontinuation of county bursaries, stating that without them, the future of poor students was at risk. Similarly, Victor Safari expressed fear that his daughter would drop out after being denied both county and constituency bursaries.

A report by Usawa Agenda revealed that 40 percent of learners drop out due to unpaid fees. Emmanuel Manyasa, CEO of Usawa Agenda, emphasized that the financial strain is particularly severe in arid and semi-arid regions despite the government’s free education programs.

In Taita Taveta, principals and teachers’ union officials described schools as running on empty coffers, unable to sustain students’ return. One principal in Mwatate Sub-County said they had resorted to switching off phones and barring suppliers from entering school premises due to overwhelming debts.

Lenox Mshilla, Executive Secretary of the Taita Taveta branch of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut), warned that persistent funding shortages would severely impair both learning and management in public schools. He also pointed out the acute shortage of teachers in junior secondary schools, especially in remote areas.

Meanwhile, in the South Rift, parents were seen shopping early to avoid crowds as they prepared for school reopening. Knut’s Executive Secretary Desmond Langat urged the Ministry of Education to release capitation funds immediately to avert a looming crisis, advocating for a capitation review that accounts for inflation.

Capitation, Medical Cover, and Systemic Failures

The government had pledged Sh22,244 per student annually, disbursed in three instalments—50 percent in the first term, 30 percent in the second, and 20 percent in the third. However, delays have placed additional financial burdens on schools.

Langat also appealed for an extension to the National Education Management Information System (Nemis) registration deadline, citing technical issues that could exclude students from the system.

In Kericho County, Kenya National Parents Association chairman Zablon Cheruiyot criticized the government’s mishandling of capitation and medical cover, cautioning that the costs would inevitably fall on parents. He also lamented the confusing shift from CBC to CBE curricula, describing it as disruptive to both parents and schools.

The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) demanded a refund of Sh22 billion deducted for medical insurance under the Social Health Authority (SHA) and Minet Insurance Brokers. Mary Rotich, KUPPET’s Executive Secretary in Kericho, insisted that teachers should receive direct medical allowances instead.

Medical Insurance Crisis

In Nakuru County, KUPPET Organising Secretary Joseph Chebukaka revealed that SHA had refused to enroll over 360,000 teachers due to inadequate nationwide infrastructure. He pointed out that the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) boss, Nancy Macharia, had admitted failure in the enrollment process due to the insurer’s lack of structures.

Chebukaka expressed deep concern, stating that teachers continue to suffer from lack of medical attention despite the Sh20 billion contract with Minet. He stressed that this failure risks making sick teachers a burden on students and damaging productivity in schools.

Highlighting the confusion surrounding the curriculum shift, Chebukaka said, “We have barely understood CBC, and now it has been changed to CBE. This transition has caused a lot of confusion and resulted in a forced curriculum that affects students’ minds.”

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Caroline Mwasi, a parent, noted that the current harsh economic climate was placing immense strain on parents, who must meet costs for school fees, transportation, shopping, and uniforms.

In Samburu County, however, a glimmer of relief was seen as Samburu West MP Naisula Lesuuda disbursed Sh66 million from the NG-CDF to support 11,000 pupils for the second term. Lesuuda remarked that the intervention was crucial, especially since many parents had lost their livestock to cattle rustlers and drought.

Back to School: Financial Woes Overshadow New Term.

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