Schools Face Financial Crisis as Government Delays Education Funds
With just a few days left in the first month of the Term One academic calendar, public schools across Kenya have yet to receive the government’s allocated funds for Free Day Secondary School Education.
On Monday, the Ministry of Education acknowledged the financial difficulties that schools are facing, attributing the delay to the National Treasury’s inability to honor its commitments. Officials cited “cash flow problems” as the main reason for the holdup.
In an effort to calm tensions, ministry representatives met with secondary school principals to discuss the matter and address the delayed disbursements.
Basic Education Principal Secretary, Belio Kipsang, confirmed the meeting and reassured the public that the funds would be disbursed by the end of the week. He emphasized that the total allocation for secondary schools’ first term amounts to 28 billion shillings.
Kipsang admitted that the funds had not yet reached the schools’ accounts but assured that they would be disbursed by Friday. He explained that the delay was due to cash flow challenges but assured that the Ministry of Education was working with the National Treasury to resolve the issue.
KESSHA Voices Concerns
Willy Kuria, the national chair of the Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA), attended the meeting in Nairobi and expressed concern over the situation.
Kuria pointed out that the prolonged delay was severely affecting day schools, especially since no funds had been received for over a month. He confirmed that the Principal Secretary had promised the funds would be released this week at 50 percent.
Kuria emphasized, however, that if the funds were not disbursed this week, the situation would become untenable. He suggested that schools may have to turn to parents for financial support, as day schools rely entirely on capitation funds for their operations.
The disbursements only cover tuition and operational fees, and one principal, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, revealed that running a school under these conditions has become increasingly difficult.
He proposed that schools should be permitted to charge tuition fees to help mitigate the impact of delays in government funding. This issue has been exacerbated by the lack of Form One admissions following the phasing out of the 8-4-4 system in primary schools.
According to James Okeno, the principal of Gendia Secondary School, Form One students would typically generate significant revenue, which could help offset delays in disbursements. He noted that the financial crisis was severely affecting their ability to pay staff or settle operational bills.
Headteachers in Primary Schools Raise Alarm
Meanwhile, headteachers overseeing comprehensive schools, which include pre-primary, primary, and junior schools in one compound, have also voiced concerns. These headteachers reported that the capitation funds disbursed to their schools last week were insufficient.
They plan to meet with union officials to discuss their next steps. Additionally, the Ministry of Education has not yet provided guidelines detailing how schools should allocate the over 19 billion shillings sent to primary and junior schools.
One headteacher in Makueni County questioned the adequacy of the funds and expressed confusion over how to distribute the limited amount available.
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) has also expressed concern regarding the capitation delays. Hesbon Otieno, the union’s deputy secretary-general, acknowledged that the government had promised timely disbursements, yet many schools have still not received their funds.
Otieno pointed out that the delay was disrupting school programs, with some secondary schools sending students home for non-payment of fees. The union has called for a clear picture of the situation from school heads and principals.
Otieno also highlighted the impact of the funding delay on Grade 9 learners, whose education is being disrupted. He noted that schools are struggling to provide basic necessities like stationery, equipment, and furniture, which are essential for ongoing lessons, particularly for Grade 9 students.
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Impact on Primary Schools
The Kenya Primary Schools Headteachers Association (KPSHA) has confirmed that some comprehensive schools have received the capitation funds. However, the majority of schools continue to struggle with the insufficient amounts received.
Fuad Ali, the national vice chairman of KPSHA, shared that while some members had reported receiving the funds, many others are still waiting for the disbursements to be processed in full.
As the situation continues to unfold, it is clear that the delayed release of capitation funds is severely impacting the operation of schools across the country, affecting both primary and secondary levels of education.
The government’s prompt action to resolve the issue is becoming increasingly urgent to ensure schools can continue their operations without further disruption.
Schools Face Financial Crisis as Government Delays Education Funds
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