Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has appealed to school heads to refrain from sending learners home over outstanding fees, emphasizing that the government has started disbursing capitation funds to schools. In a statement made on Thursday in Mombasa, Ogamba assured that part of the Sh48 billion allocated for capitation had already been released and the remaining funds would follow soon.
The CS revealed that Treasury had disbursed Sh19 billion on Thursday, with an additional Sh15 billion scheduled for release on Friday. Although the release of funds has faced some challenges, Ogamba noted that these issues have been resolved, and schools should not disrupt learning due to financial constraints. “So we are in the process of completing that Sh48 billion in the next one or two weeks to ensure that all our schools have got their resources,” he explained.
Ogamba’s comments come after concerns raised by the Kenya Primary Heads Association, which had expressed fears that schools might struggle to keep learners in session if the capitation funds were delayed further. The CS reassured parents and teachers that the government was committed to ensuring uninterrupted learning across all educational levels.
He confirmed that schools with accounts at KCB had already received capitation funds for Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) and primary schools. The funds are aimed at supporting the operational costs of these institutions, including salaries, resources, and infrastructure development.
In addition to the capitation disbursement, Ogamba highlighted the government’s commitment to improving the quality of education, especially in Junior Secondary Schools. He disclosed that 76,000 teachers had been recruited to cater to the growing demand for teachers in JSS, and many of these educators had undergone retooling to align their skills with the Junior School curriculum. This ensures that learners in these schools receive a comprehensive education.
Ogamba also reassured the public that textbooks for various subjects had already arrived at schools, further supporting the ongoing curriculum delivery. At St Charles Lwanga Junior School in Mombasa, where Ogamba was speaking, learners were also being enlisted into the Social Health Authority (SHA), an initiative aimed at ensuring that children have access to healthcare.
Moses Kuria, Senior Adviser at the Council of Economic Advisors at State House, also spoke at the event, urging parents to register their children with the SHA. He emphasized the importance of collective contribution to healthcare, likening the scheme to a harambee, where everyone contributes to ensuring access to medical treatment for all. “You no longer need to call harambees of only people known to you, we are all now contributors,” Kuria stated.
With the ongoing efforts to ensure proper funding, adequate staffing, and essential resources, Ogamba’s remarks offer reassurance to schools and parents that the government is taking all necessary steps to support education and the well-being of learners.
