Kiharu Member of Parliament (MP) Ndindi Nyoro has called for the immediate release of the school capitation funds for the third term to rescue schools from draining into deep crises.
Speaking at a public event in his Kiharu constituency on Sunday, September 7, Nyoro said the government has failed in its mandate to disburse capitation fund in time, leaving educational institutions struggling as students prepare for critical national examinations.
The lawmaker accused the National Treasury of prioritising debt servicing over funding schools, leaving institutions without the capitation funds needed to operate effectively.
He has given the government an ultimatum, demanding that the capitation funds for primary and secondary schools must be released by this week.
“Tunaona ministry ya elimu wanasema mambo mengi ati kutuma capitation katika shule kama hii wanaleta other things ati kujiandikisha. Tafadhali, Ministry of Education, this is the term ambayo wanafunzi wanafanya mtihani, na sasa tunaenda wiki kadhaa, na hamjatumia shule pesa ya capitation,” he said.
ALSO READ:
“How do you expect our schools to run? Kama hakuna pesa, muambie wazazi hakuna pesa; muache vizingizio ati registration. We want capitation in our schools sent latest next week ambayo inaanza kesho.”
His counterpart Naivasha MP Jayne Kihara, speaking in Naivasha town recently also accused the government of diverting education funds to economic empowerment programmes while schools grapple with delayed capitation.
She expressed her frustration saying that the learners had already resumed classes while schools continued to struggle without the disbursement of capitation funds.
“Capitation is not coming; it is delayed. The children have opened schools, and yet we can see a lot of squandering of money and resources in things they are calling empowerment,” Kihara said.
The MPs’ remarks come at a critical time, as schools face significant financial challenges due to delayed capitation disbursements.
ALSO READ:
With the third term underway, students are preparing for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA), and Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA).
The third term capitation released has been marred by delay after the Ministry of Education rolled out schools and students verification drive to weed out the ghost schools and ballooned students numbers which according to the Auditor general report led to the loss of billion.
So far the ministry has announced that 32, 000 submitted UPI forms whereby 3000 schools has already received their capitation funds after fully verified by the ministry.
By Juma Ndigo
You can also follow our social media pages on Twitter: Education News KE and Facebook: Education News Newspaper for timely updates.
>>> Click here to stay up-to-date with trending regional stories
>>> Click here to read more informed opinions on the country’s education landscape
