Machogu pledges to review funding model for schools

The government will review the capitation disbursement model in a bid to ensure more equitable distribution of funds to primary and secondary schools.

Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu said there is need to address delays in the disbursement, besides streamlining the system by employing advanced technologies and automated processes to expedite the flow of funds.

He asked schools to acknowledge the receipt of capitation money, failure to which they would not get subsequent disbursements.

“From this year onwards, capitation will be disbursed in the ratio of 50:30:20, for the first, second and third terms respectively. We will move away from the current quarterly system. This change will ensure a more equitable distribution of funds throughout the year, empowering schools to plan and utilize resources more efficiently,” said Machogu.

The CS made the remarks in Mombasa yesterday when he addressed the 46th Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (Kessha) conference.

“One of the pressing issues we need to tackle is delay in disbursement of capitation. I understand the challenges and the constraints that these delays cause to operations in your schools. I want to assure you that we are working diligently to streamline the disbursement systems,” said the CS.

Budget constraints

He also cautioned school heads against mismanagement of resources.

“I must also emphasize the importance of promptly acknowledging receipt of capitation, as failure to do so will result in schools missing out on the next disbursement. Let us work together to streamline this process and ensure effective utilization of allocated funds for the benefit of our students,” he added.

The school heads have decried budget constraints posed by the rising cost of living.

“I wish to urge all of you to strictly adhere to public finance management practices while utilizing funds that are allocated to the schools by the government and parents,” added the CS.

He further asked the principals to familiarise themselves with the Public Finance Management Act 2012 and the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act 2015.

Machogu said in the next financial year, the ministry will hire 24,000 additional teachers to deal with the deficit.

On the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) senior secondary education, he said three distinct pathways for learners are being introduced namely Arts, Sports Science, Social Sciences and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

He said the pathways will allow students to choose a field that aligns with their interests and aspirations, providing them with specialized skills and knowledge.

“Boards of Management in each of your schools need to prepare early for the pathways that will be offered in their institutions within the next two years. Let us equip our schools with the necessary tools so that our students excel in their chosen fields and open doors to a world of possibilities,” he urged the Principals.

More teachers

On national exams, the CS reiterated the government’s commitment to eradicate leakages. The school heads had accused the Kenya National Examination Council of failure to manage exams.

“In the outgoing Financial Year, we have employed 36,000 new teachers. In the next Financial Year, we will hire an additional 24,000. It is crucial that we deploy these teachers in our schools in a manner that reflects equity,” he added.

Kessha chairman Kahi Indimuli had asked the government to review the funding model of secondary schools.

He said some of the institutions depend entirely on the capitation.

“We need to realize that prices of some of the commodities have gone up and they are not able to meet the cost,” said Indimuli.

He proposed that capitation should be increased from Sh22,244 to Sh30,000 per learner to meet the cost of operations.

Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang said the government is committed to fully implement education reforms that will emanate from the presidential task force.

“It has completed its work and is writing a report. We will implement it fully with respect to your views,” said Kipsang.

He challenged the principals to play their role in ensuring that education is inclusive and ensure prudent management of resources.

Kipsang affirmed that CBC had been successful in most of institutions despite infrastructure challenges and asked school heads to optimize the little resources and infrastructure they have.

“We must deal with the trust deficit because we are the custodians of the future. Let’s establish trust strength as school managers,” he added.

On financial management, Indimuli proposed that all school bursars be employed by the Ministry of Education.

Currently Kenya has over 10,000 secondary schools with over 30,000 learners.

More Articles

---