School Principals to be summoned to Parliament over Capitation Funds Usage

Godfrey Gwako

4 months ago

School principals to be summoned to Parliament over Capitation Funds Usage: Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has announced that school principals will soon be required to appear before Parliamentary committees. This is in an effort to address concerns about their schools’ finances.

The new policy reflects the government’s decision to classify schools as independent audit units. This will make them directly accountable to Parliament. Previously, the Education Cabinet Secretary provided answers to these financial questions. In the absence of the CS, the Principal Secretary has been answering such queries on behalf of the schools.

Table of Contents

Toggle

Change in oversight of school finances

Machogu emphasized that this shift in accountability signifies a significant change in the oversight of school funds.

Principals will now face parliamentary committees directly. The government aims to enhance transparency and responsibility with this move. The CS also warned head teachers against imposing unauthorized levies. He advised them to be aware that taking such actions could result in serious consequences from the parliamentary committee.

Machogu was speaking at the closing of the Secondary School Heads conference in Mombasa. 8,000 members of the Kenya Secondary School Head Teachers Association (KESSHA) attended the conference. The CS reiterated the government’s stance against withholding National Examination Council Certificates because of unpaid school fees.

He urged principals to adhere strictly to government guidelines that prohibit this practice.

Maximum allowable fee for different school levels

Machogu highlighted that the government has set maximum allowable fees for each school level. He therefore warned principals against introducing any illegal levies. He reinforced the need for compliance with existing policies to ensure fairness and transparency in school operations.

Machogu also mentioned that his ministry will submit a comprehensive review of the education sector’s legal and policy framework to parliament. This review includes a draft session paper and 13 bills aimed at implementing the recommendations of the presidential working party reform.

KCSE Examination Reforms

The CS outlined reforms in the computation of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination.

The new system calculates the mean score based on English, Kiswahili, or sign language, mathematics, and five other subjects, aiming to improve performance and increase entry requirements.

During the 47th National Kenya Secondary School Association (KESSHA) meeting, principals recommended that the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) operate independently to prevent state interference and ensure accountability in examination processes.

In conclusion, Machogu’s announcement marks a significant shift in the accountability and governance of school finances. This will improve transparency and adherence to government policies within Kenya’s education system.

School Principals to be summoned to Parliament over Capitation Funds Usage

Kindly follow us on Facebook

Five New Factors TSC Considers before Immediate Approval of Teacher Transfers

Details of Phase 2 Salary Increment for Teachers in July 2024

How Senior Schools Will Implement Career Paths from Grade 10

All TSC Teachers to pay KES 2500 for this Mandatory Training

Why TSC will not Promote This Group of Teachers in Future

TSC Releases Two Types of Letters Following Promotion Results

Breakdown of Enhanced Salaries for the Newly Promoted TSC Teachers

How to Change Name on KCPE Certificate

How to Pick TSC Promotion Letters Released to County offices

Revised 2024 Co-curricular Activities Calendar for Kenyan Schools