School funding dilemma persists as learners open for third term

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School funding dilemma persists as learners open for third term

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Although President William Ruto announced that the government had already released 18 billion shillings meant for school capitation for this term, education stakeholders dispute that assertion, saying that school heads are yet to receive any money.

The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) now says school heads are left with no option but to demand extra fees from parents.

As learners across the country prepare to report back to school from Monday for the final term of the school calendar, uncertainty looms over the funding for the shortest term of the year.

School heads say schools are plagued by debt over pending bills owing to fragmented disbursements.

"Schools are least prepared because there are pending bills in the release of school capitation. The government is supposed to have released 22,244 for every learner and of course the schools are suffering debt right now,” said Moses Nthurima, KUPPET Deputy Secretary General.

President William Ruto, however, says the government has already disbursed money for this term's capitation, adding that those saying otherwise have ill, politically motivated agendas.

KUPPET and most school heads discount the assertion.

"Children are returning to school. Previously, the money was delayed. We sent 18 billion shillings for the third term to schools. Those claiming there are debts in schools are behind schedule. The money is in the schools,” President William Ruto.

However, the KUPPET official disregarded the statement, asking parents to be prepared to pay fees.

"We treat that as a rumor from the Ministry of Education. Our course of action is to ask parents to prepare to pay for the education of learners because the government has no intention to finance education,” said Nthurima.

Even when it hits schools' accounts, the latest disbursement is likely to deepen funding gaps facing schools, with KESSHA saying institutions have received KSh 16,456.60 per learner so far this year, against the expected KSh 22,244.

This leaves a cumulative shortfall of KSh 5,787.40 per learner, or about 26 per cent of the annual allocation.

Reporting originally appeared via Citizen Digital. Read the full source for additional context.