- Wandayi said the government must embark on timely disbursement of capitation funds, with the payment schedule made public to learners.
- However, PS Belio Kipsang on Monday announced the government will next week release Sh16.25 billion to go towards Free Secondary Education capitation.
Image: FILE
The Opposition now wants the government to release the entire Sh52 billion reportedly owed to schools in a lump sum.
Leader of Minority Party Opiyo Wandayi said the money should not be withheld without good reasons.
“The government should tell Kenyans whether it has done away with Free Primary and Free Secondary Education,” he stated.
He claimed schools are owed close to Sh52.8 billion in Free Day School Education funds, dating back to 2021.
“Funds are yet to be remitted to schools. Equally, there is neither any commitment nor indication when schools re-open for the second term, the monies will have been disbursed,” he stated.
Wandayi said the government must embark on timely disbursement of capitation funds, with the payment schedule made public to learners.
“The current capitation amount was arrived at back in 2017 and must therefore be adjusted upwards to take into account the rising inflation rate,” he held.
However, State Department for Basic Education PS Belio Kipsang on Monday announced the government will next week release Sh16.25 billion to go towards Free Secondary Education capitation.
The PS said the amount is equivalent to 25 per cent of the outstanding capitation owed to public secondary schools across the country.
Appearing before the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee, the PS pointed out that the government has already disbursed 25 per cent of the total capitation amount.
The government allocated Sh65 billion for Free Secondary Education capitation in the current financial year.
The PS noted that while the allocation is Sh65 billion, the capitation per student would be Sh17,000 as the amount has been revised downwards from Sh22,224 to cater for all students.
“This morning, I held discussions with my colleague from the National Treasury, and shortly we are releasing up to 25 per cent of the outstanding capitation amount owed to secondary schools nationwide. We aim to ensure that by the end of this quarter, we can disburse 50 per cent,” Kipsang stated on Monday.
“We anticipate that the allocated amount will be deposited into respective accounts within the next 10 days.”
On Tuesday, Wandayi called on teachers and parents to stop struggling in fear and speak out boldly about the matter.
“Let it be known to all and sundry that things are not working; school heads have run out of ideas to run schools without money; and parents cannot afford the monies that they were promised that the government would cater for,” he added.