Government’s Delay in Releasing Capitation Funds Paralyses Operations in Schools: Schools across the nation are raising alarms over delays in the release of capitation funds. The funds are yet to arrive a month into the second term. This has caused significant disruptions to daily operations in public schools.
Parents are lagging in fee payments
Compounding this financial strain, many parents are also lagging in fee payments. This delay has created a challenging environment for head teachers, especially in junior secondary and primary schools.
These schools are grappling with not only maintaining daily activities but also addressing teacher shortages and meeting the requirements of the Competency-Based Curriculum.
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Johnson Nzioka, Chairman of the Kenya Primary Schools Heads Association, emphasized the dire situation in primary schools. These schools depend entirely on government funding and are barred from charging additional fees.
JSS schools face similar hurdles
He noted that junior secondary schools within primary institutions face similar financial hurdles. Nzioka expressed hope for the release of funds before the midterm break. He stated that timely disbursement would greatly stabilize school operations.
Secondary schools are experiencing comparable challenges. This is according to Willy Kuria, Chairman of the Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA) and head of Murang’a High School. He highlighted that day secondary schools are entirely reliant on capitation funds.
Boarding schools face the compounded issue of delayed government funds and late parental fee payments.
First term’s capitation was not fully received
Furthermore, the first term’s capitation was not fully received; the Ministry of Education released only Sh8,319.68 per learner. This is short of the Sh11,000 allocated, leaving a balance of Sh2,802.32.
For the current term, schools expect Sh6,673.20, which is 30 percent of the total annual capitation of Sh22,244 per learner.
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Despite these challenges, Kuria reported that discussions with the Ministry of Education indicate that funds might be released this week.
Schools that reopened on April 29 with Form Four students in class are hopeful for a timely disbursement.
Mid-Term Break
The upcoming midterm break, adjusted to June 26 from the originally planned June 20-23, further complicates matters.
The Ministry of Education gave a directive for all boarding school learners to return by June 30, 2024. This necessitates adjustments in planned activities and schedules, adding another layer of difficulty for schools.
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In response to these financial strains, schools have taken various measures to compel parents to pay outstanding fees.
Schools have hired B.O.M teachers
Some have hired new teachers through the Board of Management to fill staffing gaps in the junior secondary section.
Other schools have been sending notifications to parents of students with unpaid fees, instructing them to keep their children at home until payments are made.
One such message read, “Dear parent, this is a reminder to meet at least 70 percent of the fee balance for the second term on or before 3/06/2024.”
Kuria stressed that day schools and special needs schools are among the hardest hit by the delays. These schools are heavily dependent on government funding. These institutions face significant operational challenges without the timely release of capitation funds and prompt fee payments from parents.
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