The Ministry of Education has released Ksh 22 billion in capitation funds for Term 2 after school heads and principals nationwide complained that the delay hindered crucial learning resources.
Secondary schools will get the bulk of the funds, raking in KSh 11.6 billion, followed by Junior School Education, which will receive KSh 8.9 billion.Primary schools will receive KSh 1.37 billion and junior schools for Special Needs students will get KSh 118 million.The ministry has also set a July date for the pilot phase of the Kenya Education Management Information System (KEMIS), with full implementation to begin in September.
“As a Ministry, we will deal firmly with any verified cases of misappropriation of resources and the imposition of unauthorised levies,” Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said.
Initially, the Ministry had stated that it would release the capitation funds on 9th May but it delayed, forcing school administrators to make tough decisions in meeting financial obligations such as salaries and supplier debts.
Secondary Schools’ Heads warned that the delays could disrupt the school calendar as they would be forced to send learners home.
Recently, the National Assembly Committee on Education raised an alarm that funding for the national examinations — KPSEA, JSS, and KCSE — had not been factored into the Ministry’s Budgetary estimates. The MPs inquired if parents would be asked to foot the bill for the examinations but the Ministry’s representatives said that the omission would be sorted out after consultations with the Treasury.
The Ministry of Education is prioritising ditching the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS), which contains records of all students from early childhood to university level. Citing inefficiencies with the system, the Ministry has formed a task force that would create a replacement called Kenya Education Management Information System (KEMIS).
KEMIS is set to be piloted in July and full implementation will begin in September this year.