FUNDING CRISIS THREATENS LEARNING IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Learning in public schools across the country is at risk of being disrupted due to the government’s failure to release sufficient capitation funds for the second term. On Monday, July 14, 2025, the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA) raised concerns about the delay in funding, which has forced school administrators to make tough choices in managing limited resources. KESSHA Secretary General Abdi Noor stated that the funding delay is significantly affecting operations in many schools, with institutions struggling to remain afloat and meet financial obligations, including payments to suppliers. In a bid to keep schools running, KESSHA is now urging the government to consider reintroducing cost-sharing, where parents contribute part of the funding to bridge the gap.

Noor added that the financial strain has already led some schools to dismiss Board of Management(BoM) teachers, negatively impacti9ng the quality of education. Under the current funding model, the government allocates Ksh22,144 per student annually, disbursed in three installments: Ksh11,122 in the first term, Ksh6,673 in the second term, and Ksh4,439 in the third term. However, in the first term, only Ksh8,818 per student was released, creating a shortfall of Ksh2,304. In the second term, schools received just Ksh3,471 per student instead of the expected Ksh6,673, leaving a deficit of Ksh3,202.

According to Noor, the government still owes schools Ksh7.6 billion for the first term and Ksh10.6 billion for the second term. KESSHA is calling for a review of the current funding system, citing raising inflation and an outdated disbursement formula as major challenges. The association is also recommending that Members of Parliament allocate part of their National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) to help offset the funding shortfall.

KESSHA National chair Willie Kuria has highlighted that schools are facing a severe financial crisis requiring urgent intervention, and school heads may not be able to keep students in school until the term concludes. He added that students might be released early if the government fails to remit the remaining funds.