Students head to the bus terminus in Nakuru City after breaking for mid-term on February 28, 2024.
Heads of secondary schools have explained why they closed schools a week earlier than the scheduled education calendar.
Barely a week after the government disbursed Sh16 billion capitation grants under the Free Day Secondary School education programme, the principals say the money was insufficient.
Through their Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association, the principals say they have an acute deficit which makes schools unable to procure adequate learning materials, pay staff salaries, pay existing debts, submit third-party deductions, payment of bills including water and electricity.
“That is why we have closed schools as early as possible. But the situation is critical in day schools because they fully depend on capitation to run the schools,” said Kessha national chair, Mr Willy Kuria.
Some schools closed as early as last week due to the financial woes. However, some are set to close before Friday this week.
The association further accused the Ministry of Education of retaining some funds leaving schools to struggle to stay afloat.
Mr Kuria who is also the Murang’a High School Principal urged the Ministry of Education to allow the Boards of Management to manage the capitation depending on the needs of individual schools.
Last week, the National Government disbursed Sh30.5 billion to cover secondary school education capitation, loans and scholarships for university students.
The funds have been released as secondary school principals plan to break for the April Holidays a week earlier than the scheduled date due to the financial burden that had besieged the learning institutions across the country for months.
Last week, Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu said Sh7 billion will cater for capitation for public schools at the Junior Secondary School while Sh16 billion will cover capitation grants under the Free Day Secondary School education programme.
“The funds are to be received in schools before they close for the April Holidays next week. This brings to Sh32 billion and Sh12 billion the total amount released by the government for loans and scholarships respectively this financial year,” said the CS in a statement.
Mr Kuria said the government released free secondary education funds for the first term of 2024 and the third quarter of the financial year 2023/2024.
“The funds were disbursed in two equal installments of Sh3,877.34, in January 2024 and March 2, 2024.
The total amount released so far is Sh8,319 per learner including Sh565 retained by the ministry for centralized procurement (strengthening of Maths and Science in Secondary Education (Smasse), Textbooks and Activities,” explained Mr Kuria.
He said the enrolment used was from the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS) as of November 9, 2023.
“That means additional form one student did not receive term 1 capitation. The expected term 1 capitation is 50 per cent of Sh22,244 i.e Sh11,122. The F.S.E. released was Sh8,319 therefore, there is a deficit of Sh2,803 per learner in term 1-2024,” added the Principal.
He said the deficit eventually makes schools unable to procure adequate learning materials including exercise books, laboratory chemicals and equipment, examination materials and unable to pay staff salaries.
“We are unable to participate fully in co-curricular activities, pay existing debts, making schools close earlier than scheduled. The situation is made worse when schools are directed to use capitation for infrastructure development,” he added.
Mr Kuria said there is usually a lot of rebellion and slowness by the workers when schools are unable to pay salaries and yet they can observe infrastructure development being put up.
