Public Schools Signal Early Closure Due to Funding Shortages

Public Schools Signal Early Closure Due to Funding Shortages.

Heads of public secondary schools in Kericho County have indicated the possibility of closing schools earlier than scheduled due to severe financial constraints.

The administrators noted that many schools are currently struggling to cover operational costs, with some institutions unable to pay their staff or settle bills with suppliers.

Robert Korir, a representative from Ainamoi Secondary School, raised concerns about the recent reduction in government capitation for schools, which has been slashed from Ksh22,224 to Ksh11,342.

He reported that the original amount had been sufficient to cover a full year of school operations. With the reduced funding, schools now face difficulties managing expenses such as infrastructure development, bill payments, and other recurrent costs.

While speaking to the press in Kericho town, Korir elaborated that schools largely depend on government capitation for critical expenses, including infrastructure projects and the payment of utility bills like water and electricity.

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He pointed out that in some institutions, staff members are forced to wait until January for salary payments, as funds allocated for wages have been diverted to cover infrastructure costs.

Academic and Co-curricular Programs Disrupted

Korir also highlighted that insufficient funds have disrupted academic activities, including school games and other co-curricular programs. The lack of adequate resources has hampered the ability of schools to support these programs effectively, which he described as a concerning situation.

“In some schools, workers are forced to wait until January so as to get salaries. This is because funds have been channeled to infrastructure. We are unable to support the academic programme because the tuition account supports the programmes in most cases,” he observed.

Further complicating matters, some schools have been unable to pay their suppliers on time.

Korir suggested that restoring the capitation to Ksh22,224 and having the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) take over infrastructure projects would allow schools to operate effectively throughout the year.

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He added that day schools are particularly struggling to meet their financial obligations, such as salary payments and remittances to statutory bodies like the School Heads Association (SHA), putting them at risk of penalties.

Public Schools Signal Early Closure Due to Funding Shortages.

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