Schools in crisis as ministry delays release of free education money
Schools are facing a severe financial crisis ahead of Form One students reporting tomorrow as the government is yet to release funds for free education despite promises that the monies would be disbursed last week.
CAPITATION
The most affected are day schools, which entirely rely on government capitation to fund their activities – and which also admit the highest number of learners.
Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (Kessha) chairman Kahi Indimuli said Saturday that 10,000 institutions were yet to receive capitation.
“The most affected are day schools, since they fully rely on capitation to run their activities. For boarding schools things are not that bad, as parents have paid fees,” said Mr Indimuli.
He said the government had assured schools that funds would be made available on time.
Some 25,000 primary schools across the country are also yet to receive funding.
Education Principal Secretary, Dr Belio Kipsang, did not respond to our enquiries on when schools will receive the funds.
CONGESTED
The government pays Sh22,244 annually for every secondary school student and Sh1,420 for each pupil in primary school. It releases 50 per cent of the capitation to schools in the first term, 30 per cent in the second term and 20 per cent in the third term.
This financial year, the government allocated Sh55.4 billion to free day secondary education and Sh13.4 billion for free primary education. Another Sh1.5 billion was set aside for school infrastructure development.
Starting tomorrow all the way to Friday, 33,009 students are expected to join 136 national secondary schools while 1,042,415 students will join extra, county and sub-county schools.
But lack of funds is expected to further strain the already congested institutions that are struggling to ensure 100 per cent transition, which has seen a number of them convert libraries and laboratories into classrooms to accommodate more learners.
EXPENSIVE
Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) secretary-general Akelo Misori castigated the government for being slow in releasing funds, saying they are inconveniencing head teachers.
“I wish the government would (release the money) the way they distribute books,” said Mr Misori.
He said that schools need the cash to plan for those joining Form One.
“Schools need desks and extra classrooms. A school like Kisii High will be admitting 650 learners, which means that it will have at least nine streams,” said the Kuppet leader.
Kuppet’s secretary for secondary schools, Edward Obwocha, called for increased funds.
“Capitation has remained the same even with introduction of the Competency-Based Curriculum. It should be increased as the new curriculum is more involving and expensive,” said Mr Obwocha.
INADEQUATE
Teachers Service Commission (TSC) chief executive officer Nancy Macharia admitted that the increased enrolment in public secondary schools has strained teachers. To address this, Mrs Macharia said last year, the commission recruited 5,000 secondary school teachers and 10,000 interns to ease the shortage.
“We are also replacing those who leave through natural attrition on a continuous basis. The TSC beseeches teachers to do all they can to ensure high quality learning for our children,” said Mrs Macharia.
But Kuppet says the government needs to hire about 20,000 new teachers to facilitate the 100 per cent transition plan, noting that the 10,000 interns were inadequate.
Principals have been pushing the government to allow them increase school fees, saying what parents pay is too little. Last year, Kessha submitted a proposal to the government in which they asked for fees in national or extra-county schools in urban areas raised by Sh15,848 to Sh91,646, up from Sh75,798.
ANNUAL FEES
This meant that parents pay Sh69,402, up from Sh53, 554, while the government allocation was to remain at Sh22,244 for all school categories.
At the extra-county level in other parts of the country, the principals wanted the charges raised by Sh17,773 from Sh62,679 to Sh80,452. Parents currently pay Sh40,535. For county schools, heads wanted to charge Sh70,216 from 62,679. They wanted the government to raise its capitation for day schools from Sh22,244 to Sh28,501 per student per year.
Category B boarding and extra-county schools in other areas receive Sh22,244 from the government while parents pay Sh40,535, bringing the annual fees to Sh62,779.
The National Parents Association is proposing that parents of students in national schools pay Sh20,000 annually for the construction of dormitories; those in extra-county schools pay Sh10,000 and sub-county school parents part with Sh5,000.
IMPROVEMENT
The association’s chairman Nicholas Maiyo said this will help ease congestion. He said the government should be left to provide funds for construction of classrooms, libraries and laboratories.
“We have to support the government in its plan to ensure that all (students) are learning in conducive environments,” he said.
Data from the Ministry of Education indicates Sh1.5 billion is allocated to secondary schools for infrastructure development. However, principals have indicated they need at least Sh9 billion for infrastructure.
Last week, Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha said the ministry was finalising preparations to release funds for tuition, operations and infrastructure improvement.
“Schools are therefore advised to not increase fees and instead use the money provided as a move to enhance the attainment of 100 per cent transition, improve the learning environment and ensure the right to education is achieved,” said Prof Magoha.
DISPARITIES
He said as part of the wider efforts by government to address disparities and the quality of education in Kenya, the World Bank funding will help the government construct classrooms and laboratories in the targeted counties at a cost of Sh8.2 billion.
“This will improve education provision and environment for learning while at the same time creating demand for educational opportunities.
“Specifically, the project addresses dimensions of quality education which include providing basic support to ensure individual learners’ safety, provision of teachers and improvement of their professional efficacies, provision of teaching and learning materials, improvement of the learning environment, advocacy and gender sensitisation and supporting educational reforms that address content quality, relevance, assessment and delivery modes,” said Prof Magoha.
ALLOCATION
However, Mr Indimuli said other schools also need support from the government in terms of infrastructure development.
“The World Bank project is targeting specific schools and now it’s upon the government to also increase its allocation and channel the funds to schools with poor infrastructure,” said Mr Indimuli.
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