Capitation Delay: School Close Early Despite Official Schedule
Due to financial concerns, several secondary schools have decided to close early this week for the April holiday. The official closing date is April 5.
Last week, Teachers Updates observed this trend, indicating a major deviation from the typical routine. Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu said that the government had distributed Sh30 billion to junior schools, secondary institutions, and universities.
Machogu also claimed that the cash would reach schools before the start of the April holiday, meaning that it would arrive by the end of the week. Legislators have expressed concern about the financing delay.
Malava MP Malulu Injendi, who is the vice chairman of the Education Committee in the National Assembly, stated that the finances obtained by schools this year were insufficient to keep them operating.
Injendi emphasised that late disbursement presented a huge burden for administrators handling school matters, causing some schools to close prematurely. Marakwet South MP Timothy Kipchumba stated that schools with low enrollments had the most difficulty because they received less cash.
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Several principals spoke anonymously about their frustration with the delayed release of capitation funds. They complained that the cash was insufficient and arrived too late.
Accumulated debts exacerbated the issues that schools faced, making it increasingly impossible for them to remain open.
Johnson Nzioka, head of the Kenya Primary School Heads Association, stated that the delayed receipt of cash interrupts feeding programmes, which are critical for student retention in some locations.
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Delayed remittances limit schools’ capacity to provide meals, which are typically an important component in keeping pupils in school.
A principal in Nairobi shared the same worries, noting that the burden on school resources led them to send students home to relieve stress.
He emphasised the importance of meals in student retention as well as the difficulty that schools confront in continuing feeding programmes despite delayed financing.
Capitation Delay: School Close Early Despite Official Schedule
