Funding hitch hits Western, Nyanza schools
Junior Secondary School students display new textbooks at Kakamega Primary School on January 30, 2023.
Headteachers of primary and junior secondary schools in Western and Nyanza regions have warned that learning in their institutions could be paralysed if the Ministry of Education fails to address the capitation fund crisis.
The headteachers told Nation.Africa they were shocked by the amount of money the Ministry of Education has sent to school accounts to run the institutions.
As a result of the funding crisis, the headteachers said they have been unable to pay for extra-curricular activities to enable learners from their schools to participate in sub-county and county competitions.
Officials from unions representing teachers, including the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut), said they had received complaints from head teachers about the funding crisis in their institutions.
Mr Patrick Chungani, the Knut Western Region Chapter Secretary, said the union had received complaints from head teachers on the matter and was holding consultations before responding.
“We are struggling to run the institutions and some of us have been pushed to the edge because of the debts,” said a head teacher from Siaya County.
Kakamega Central Knut chairman Tom Ingolo described the situation in schools as dire.
Headteachers said there had been no communication or guidelines from the Ministry of Education on how to deal with the matter.
The latest development comes a week after the Ministry of Education released Sh24 billion in capitation grants to primary and secondary schools and warned headteachers against sending pupils home for non-payment of school fees.
The amount was Sh4 billion short of what Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu had promised to send to schools following earlier reports that some headteachers had started sending learners home to collect fees because of the delayed disbursement.
But Mr Machogu said despite the delay, 85 per cent of pupils had paid their fees.
The head teacher said the amount of money released to the institutions was not enough to pay the salaries of support staff, including cooks and night watchmen, and utilities such as electricity bills.
Headteachers interviewed said that some schools had received no money for running costs.
"How can the Ministry of Education send Sh4,990 to a school to run the institution? We have not paid the salaries of the cook and the night watchman. The situation in our schools is heading for a crisis if the Ministry of Education does not intervene urgently," said a head teacher of one of the affected institutions.
Several head teachers interviewed said they had received less than Sh20,000 in school accounts, which was not enough to run the institutions.
The headteachers said they were working under a lot of pressure because of the financial difficulties.
"We have been desperately calling our respective sub-county directors of education to explain what is happening and give us directions on the matter, but they have been avoiding the issue," said a head teacher from Busia County.
In Homa Bay County, junior secondary school headteachers have accused the government of delaying the payment of government capitation grants to the institutions.
They said they were facing a crisis as there was no money in the school accounts.
Mr John Oguttu, the head teacher of Shauri Yako Primary and Junior Secondary School, said the delayed disbursement of funds had affected normal academic programmes.
"We use the money to buy materials such as chalk. If the government delays sending the money, it means that learning cannot take place," he said.
Shauri Yako Junior Secondary School has 195 students. Some of its teachers are employed by the school's management committee.
Mr Oguttu said the delayed disbursement of funds had also affected the payment of salaries to teachers and other workers employed by the school management boards.
"We are struggling with the little resources we have. But we hope to receive the funds as soon as possible," he said.
In Siaya County, the head teacher of Urim Primary School said her school had not received the funds.
Ms Pamela Orondo said teachers were struggling to ensure learning took place despite the lack of funds.
"We are unable to buy chalk and stationery for use in school. We are unable to pay our support staff as we have run out of money for the day-to-day running of the school," said Mrs Orondo.
By Benson Amadala, George Odiwuor and Adinasi Kassim
