Nearly all public schools have heeded the government’s directive to submit updated data on student enrolment, which is a requirement for accessing capitation funds.
Basic Education PS Prof. Julius Bitok revealed that 32,000 primary and secondary schools, which represents 98 per cent, have complied with directive to submit fresh enrolment data with capitation funds already send to 3,000 schools upon data verification.
“So far, 3,000 schools have been able to receive capitation after being verified to have the correct data on the correct number of students that are in schools,” said Prof. Bitok while at Machakos Teachers Training college where the exercise is underway.
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All schools with verified data will receive capitation funds by next week with the Ministry pushing submission deadline to Friday September 12, 2025. Education officers are working through the weekend to process submissions.
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Prof. Bitok assured schools that have complied that payments would not be delayed: “We are anticipating that by next week, end of next week, all of our 32,000 schools will have received their money.”
The government requires each school to provide the Unique Personal Identifier (UPI) from learners’ birth certificates, the school’s registration number, and verified bank account details via their sub-county education offices.
PS Bitok explained that the move was aimed at cleaning up the system: “We therefore had no option but to verify the data to ensure that every shilling reaches the right school and the right learner. This is about accountability to the Kenyan child and to the nation.”
He added that past audits by the Auditor General and parliamentary inquiries had raised questions on capitation disbursement.
Secondary schools lead in compliance, followed by junior schools. In contrast, primary schools lag due to challenges with the internet and ICT.
The PS highlighted Masii Boys High School as an example, saying it was the first in Machakos County to submit accurate data and had already received its full capitation: “I am very pleased that when we visited Masii, the principal confirmed that the funds had been credited to the school account and that operations will now run smoothly.”
The deadline for submission is on September 12, 2025, to provide additional time for schools that have not yet complied.
Bitok cautioned principals and county supervisors that any further delays or submissions in the wrong format would attract “severe punishment.”
By Joseph Mambili
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