KUPPET Issues 7-Day Ultimatum to Government for School Capitation Release.
Two weeks into the 2025 school calendar, the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has raised concerns about an impending crisis in secondary schools.
The financial strain stems from significant delays in the disbursement of capitation funds, leaving schools unable to manage essential expenses.
KUPPET has accused the Ministry of Education of failing to fulfill promises of timely funding. According to Moses Nthurima, the union’s Deputy Secretary General, many schools are struggling to pay suppliers, contractors, and staff.
He stated that principals are bearing the burden of mounting debts while the government has repeatedly assured that school accounts would be funded.
In addition to delays in current term funding, the government has yet to settle debts owed to schools for nearly seven years. The union claims this prolonged neglect is severely impacting headteachers, with most school programs grinding to a halt due to lack of funds.
Nthurima expressed concern over the stress principals endure as they take on loans and credits to sustain education in the absence of government support.
The union has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the government to release the funds, warning of a potential withdrawal of services if schools remain unfunded.
“The government (should) release capitation money within seven days because our principals are dying because of stress.
“Principals are workers in this country, when they go looking for funds and taking credits to finance education yet the money is there, I don’t know where we are heading to,” added Nthurima.
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KUPPET has also criticized the government’s decision to host Grade 9 learners in primary schools despite resource shortages in secondary schools.
The union highlighted the underutilization of high school infrastructure, including classrooms, laboratories, and sports equipment.
These facilities, constructed during former Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha’s tenure, remain idle, along with qualified teachers, particularly in science disciplines.
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The union further questioned the ministry’s inconsistency in teacher promotions. While primary school teachers with degrees are set to be promoted to teach in Junior Secondary Schools, high school teachers with advanced qualifications such as Masters and PhDs have been overlooked.
This disparity has sparked dissatisfaction among educators, who feel undervalued despite their expertise.
KUPPET welcomed the government’s decision to consolidate bursaries at the national level. The union believes this move will curb wastage and misappropriation, ensuring that funds reach needy students instead of being distributed for political gain by elected leaders.
KUPPET Issues 7-Day Ultimatum to Government for School Capitation Release.
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