President William Ruto has issued a stern warning to school heads asking for school fees from parents while alleging that the government has not disbursed capitation.
Speaking in a church service in Teso, Busia County, the Head of State vehemently said that his government has released a capitation of Ksh 62 billion inclusive of funding bursaries to support education in the country.
“Listen from here, the government of Kenya has this January released 62 billion for bursaries to learning institutions, primary schools secondary schools, universities, and tertiary institutions.”
Ruto said every Kenyan child deserves excellent access to education and any principal or headteacher doing the opposite by sending learners home for school fees matters is not doing right.
“I want to tell those in the education sector not to take advantage of parents on false accounts of government having released no money,” he stated.
Ruto also observed that money provided for bursaries is purposely for learners whose parents cannot afford fees.
” I want to state here categorically, we have released Ksh 62 billion to our primary schools, to our secondary schools, to our TVET Institutions including money for bursaries to our members of parliament,” he added.
National Assembly Majority Leader and Kikuyu legislator Kimani Ichung’wah reiterated the president’s sentiments, rubbishing claims that a sharp increase in school fees has been detected because capitation is not enough.
He clarified that the National Treasury had released funds for the National Government Constituency Development Funding (NG-CDF) to aid bursaries.
“There have been some rumors that the school fees will rise due to lack of capitation in schools. I want to say Treasury has already disbursed the money,” Ichung’wah said.
The Ministry of Education through its Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang had earlier affirmed that Treasury had released school capitation on January 8, 2024.
” I want to assure our schools, assure head teachers, assure our principals that yes, we have released the capitation,” said Kipsang during the release of the 2023 KCPE examination results.
The Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA) briefed the press closely three days ago in Murang’a County at the Teachers Service Commission’s office, alleging that they did not have sufficient funds to run schools and are struggling with debt following a serious delay in capitation.
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