The Ministry of Education’s (MoE) failure to release the school capitation funds on time has led to a state of uncertainty and desperation. The morale of many secondary school principals, who are dedicated to their students and schools, is being severely tested. The situation is so dire that several are contemplating requesting their employer to accept their resignation.
A thorough audit by Education News on capitation flow from the MoE for the past four years revealed a declining trajectory that has plagued most secondary schools.
Principals are now facing management pressure occasioned by limited finances. Suppliers’ threats to sue schools, coupled with subordinate staff’s incessant cries over salary debts and perennial delays, have made the principal’s seat a thorny one, no longer a comfortable centre of the administration.
Most of those who spoke to Education News said they would rather quit their positions and accept to be regular teachers. According to the Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA) document titled “Operational Crisis in Schools, the government disbursed Ksh 10,000 per student annually compared to the expected Ksh22,244.
The trend has worsened since 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted school learning.
During the 2021/2022 Financial Year, KSh 17,742 was to be released per student. However, to the utter shock of many principals, only Ksh 11,039 hit their schools’ accounts. The MoE retained sh 6,752.
The document explains that in the 2022/2023 Fiscal Year, the schools received a paltry Ksh9,701 out of the expected sh 17,339 per learner. MoE is reported to have retained a whopping Ksh7,637.
Lastly, the report documents that in the 2023/2024 financial year, Ksh 16,153 was released by the exchequer, leaving only Ksh10,523 to reach the schools’ accounts.
KESSHA chair Willy Kuria lamented that unless the fluid situation is arrested, all will not be well in the secondary schools.
State Department of Basic Education Principal Secretary Dr Belio Kipsang has constantly reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring the timely release of full capitation funds for all levels of learning.
As principals consider stepping down due to the financial crisis in their schools, the MoE’s swift action is now more crucial than ever to avert a potential shutdown in secondary schools.
By Kaptich Tarus
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