Secondary school heads have provoked the government to release capitation funds by tabling proposals in which parents will have to dig deeper into their pockets in the New Year.
There has been chaos in the distribution and release of capitation, with many principals unable to run their schools because it either comes late, is too little, or never released at all.
The school heads have highlighted that the failure to release the funds will impact the parents negatively as the cost of living has highly escalated in the country.
Yet they have no option but to increase the fees in the 2024 school calendar.
They have made far-reaching proposals that if the government adopts, will see parents pay extra fees upwards of Ksh20,000.
Currently, parents with children in national schools pay Ksh53,554. The principals want this increased to Ksh73,182.
The fees for extra-county and county schools stands at Ksh40,535. If the Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA) breakdown is accepted, this amount will rise to Ksh66,023.
Now this is not good news to parents. However, schools have to run considering that the government does not seem to hear the principal’s plight. They (principals) have noted that it is impossible to run the normal school programmes without the funds.
As schools closed for December holidays, nobody knew for sure how much the government had disbursed to schools.
Here is a detailed summary of KESSHA’s proposal:
National schools: parents have been paying Ksh53,554 per year while the government grants Ksh22,244.
In the proposed structure, parents will now have to pay Ksh73,182; the GoK grant remaining at Ksh22,244.
Extra-county schools: parents have been paying Ksh40,535 and the GoK grant is Ksh22,244.
In the proposed structure, parents will pay Ksh66,023, the GoK grant remaining constant.
Day schools: parents have been paying nothing, with the GoK grant standing at Ksh22,244.
In the proposed structure, parents will pay Ksh5,372 and the GoK grant remains at Ksh22,244.
Apparently, the government either becomes faithful and consistent with its part of the deal, or parents prepare to pay more.
By Viola Chepkemoi
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