The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has raised concerns over an impending crisis in the education sector due to delayed government capitation funds. The union has warned that some schools have been forced to send learners home after mid-term due to a lack of financial resources to sustain their operations.
KUPPET Deputy Secretary-General Moses Nthurima has accused the government of failing to remit the required Sh28 billion capitation for Term One, despite assurances from Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba. According to Nthurima, schools were meant to receive Sh11,000 per student, but only Sh4,000 has been disbursed so far.
“The government was supposed to remit Sh28 billion for this quarter, but we have not seen the money. More than half of the term is gone, yet schools are struggling to stay afloat,” Nthurima said while addressing a gathering in Naivasha. He criticized the government for prioritizing projects such as building new laboratories for Grade 10 while failing to address the immediate needs of schools.
The union has further highlighted that the total pending bills in the education sector amount to approximately Sh64 billion, dating back to 2018. Nthurima called on the government to expedite the release of funds, giving a seven-day ultimatum for capitation funds to be disbursed.
On Tuesday, CS Ogamba assured parents and school heads that the Treasury would release Sh14 billion within the week to ease the crisis. He emphasized that his ministry was working closely with the Treasury to ensure funds reached schools without further delay.
However, KUPPET National Chairman Omboko Milemba dismissed the minister’s assurances, stating that learning had already been disrupted. He argued that the government should focus on fully utilizing existing resources rather than pushing for new infrastructure projects.
“If students had transitioned to secondary schools, they would already have access to laboratories and teachers. Instead of building new classes, the ministry should make use of empty classrooms,” Milemba said.
KUPPET also warned that if capitation funds were not released promptly, they would convene a national governing council to decide on the next course of action. The union further noted that teachers were also affected, as delays in government remittances had left them unable to access medical services in private hospitals.
“The only language the government will understand is if teachers take matters into their own hands,” Nthurima stated, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.
