Funding crisis looms as schools prepare to reopen

Schools across the country are facing a fresh funding gap just as they prepare to reopen for the second term, raising concerns over possible disruptions to learning.

Insiders at the Education Ministry revealed that public schools are once again staring at financial strain due to delayed and insufficient government capitation, leaving head teachers struggling to meet basic operational costs such as food, utilities, and learning materials.

The National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) raised serious concerns regarding the viability of free basic education in Kenya.

During a session with ministry officials, lawmakers questioned whether the government can still claim to offer free schooling while facing massive budget deficits.

The scrutiny follows a special audit report detailing the flow of capitation and infrastructure grants to public schools.

For years, the government has promised to shoulder the cost of primary and secondary day school education, but current financial realities suggest a widening gap between policy and practice.

Basic Education Principal Secretary (PS) Julius Bitok appeared before the committee to address these discrepancies.

He revealed that the ministry is currently grappling with an underfunding crisis totaling Sh77 billion.

Teso South MP Mary Emase said leaders should be candid with parents if the State cannot afford the Ksh22,000 capitation.

“We are living a lie. We are preaching water and drinking wine. Can we just say we can’t afford the Sh22,000,” Emase said.

Samburu West MP Naisula Lesuuda urged the ministry to be clear on whether it can fund free education, while Aldai MP Marianne Kitany said the number of learners missing capitation has been rising, citing about one million learners in 2024.

Mathioya MP Edwin Mugo raised concerns that some schools were closing early due to funding gaps and asked about pending bills in secondary schools.

In response, Bitok said budgetary and enrolment data for the 2020/2021 to 2023/2024 fiscal years show underfunding at the secondary school level of Sh76,995,346,067.

He said the approved capitation rate has remained at Sh22,244 even as enrolment increased from 3,396,322 in 2020/2021 to 4,036,650 in 2023/2024, pushing the requirement from about Ksh75.5 billion to nearly Sh89.8 billion.

Bitok said the approved budget increased only marginally, resulting in a deficit that reached more than Sh25.8 billion by 2023/2024.

The PS said the Sh22,000 benchmark was set about a decade ago, but the ministry faces constraints due to allocations approved by Parliament.

PS Bitok acknowledged that funding challenges persist, noting that the Ministry of Education is working to verify enrolment data to ensure accurate disbursement of capitation funds.

He said the government has intensified audits to eliminate ghost learners and non-existent schools that have previously drained education resources.

“The ministry is cross-checking data and deploying teams on the ground to validate figures,” Bitok said, adding that discrepancies had been identified in earlier allocations.

Education stakeholders warn that the funding shortfall could disrupt smooth reopening of schools, with principals reportedly accumulating debts owed to suppliers. Some institutions have previously been forced to send learners home early or delay services due to lack of funds.

The Kenya Secondary School Heads Association has in the past urged the government to release capitation on time, saying predictable funding is essential for planning and stability in schools. Delays, they argue, not only strain administrators but also affect teachers and learners who rely on uninterrupted learning environments.

Parents’ associations have also raised concern, warning that funding gaps often lead to indirect costs being passed on to households despite the government’s free education policy.