Secondary heads have asked the government to release capitation to schools to ease the running of the institutions.
Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha last week said the government would release Sh15.8 billion to schools before reopening.
Schools reopened on January 3 for the third term of the 2021 academic year.
Secondary schools were to receive Sh13 billion and primary schools Sh2.8 billion.
However, Kenya Secondary School Heads Association chairman Indimuli Kahi said the money is yet to hit the accounts.
He has called on the ministry to disburse the funds on time for effective budgeting and service delivery.
The principals said they are operating on a shoestring budget as most learners have yet to pay school fees.
Kahi said schools spend up to Sh2 million annually on support staff, with most having an average of 10.
The cost of running the schools is also high as some institutions are spending Sh434,269 per year on electricity while the school with the highest bill pays Sh901,200.
The average cost of water per year is Sh355,539, while sewerage services cost an average of Sh160,178.
Kenya Primary Schools Heads Association (Kepsha) chairman Johnson Nzioka said for the more than 23,000 public primary schools, the situation is worrying since they entirely depend on government funding.
Nzioka said the institutions will be in a dire situation next week.
School heads who spoke to the Star on Wednesday said creditors are on their necks demanding to be paid for foodstuffs and other items supplied to the institutions last term.
They also said they have not been able to pay non-teaching staff and some have accumulated salary arrears since last year because the government has been underfunding the institutions.
“Primary schools have not received any funds so far since reopening yet we are expected to ensure that the Covid-19 protocols are observed in schools,” one of the heads said.
When contacted, Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Jwan did not answer calls or reply to text messages sent to him.
Due to the financial crisis some secondary schools are sending students with fees arrears home.
"We have to source funds to run the institutions one way or the other and when the government does not pay, then we seek an alternative from the parents," a principal who sought anonymity said.
Edited by A.N
