Education: Private schools demand share of public funding
By Mercy Mwai, August 7, 2019
Private schools yesterday demanded a share of the government’s Free Primary and Secondary Education funds.
Appearing before Parliament’s Education Committee yesterday, the Kenya Private Schools Association (KPSA) also accused the government of failing to transfer capitation funds allocated to 25,000 students who moved from public to private schools.
“When students move from public school to private schools, they are not followed with capitation and we are asking where this money goes. A lot of money that affects 25,000 students has not been accounted for,” said KPSA chair Mutheu Kasanga.
She also called on Parliament to amend Section 29 of the Basic Education Act and other relevant polices to provide for capitation to all learners in basic education institutions.
She said funding should be tied to the student and not the school.
KPSA said discrimination applies only in basic education level.
In universities, she said, capitation and Higher Education Loans Board funds are given to students in both private and public institutions.