Ministry guides schools on usage of JSS billions

The government has issued guidelines on how schools will spend the Sh9.6 billion released to public Junior Secondary School (JSS).

Education PS Belio Kipsang issued the vote head breakdown in a circular dated April 14, with heads of institutions expected to provide an allocation of funds list duly signed by individual learners.

The JSS funds were disbursed about two weeks ago and since it was the first time ever, the ministry has had to issue guidelines on how the money will be used.

“Schools are expected to use the resources as per the vote head breakdown,” Dr Kipsang told all County Directors of Education (CDE).

According to the breakdown, the operations account will cover a number of items, with each school receiving Sh110,000 for administrative costs.

Also under the operations account, each student has been allocated Sh2,425 —Sh1,500 for Repairs Maintenance and Improvement, Sh200 administrative costs, co-curricular activities and local transport and travel each, and another Sh325 for medical and insurance.

For the tuition account, the PS said Sh5,784.30 will cater for teachers guides per school as approved by Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD). Other items in this account include Sh100 for capacity building while Sh3,100 will go towards textbooks and supplementary readers as per KICD.

Other items covered in the tuition account are laboratory materials at Sh225 per student, Sh360 for practical materials under Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) and another Sh258 and Sh800 for assessment and stationery respectively, which brings the total to Sh4,843 per student.

Kipsang directed all heads of institutions to acknowledge receipt of funds by issuing the official school receipts to him for both tuition and operation accounts with copies to the Sub County and County Director of Education.

The heads are also expected to provide CDE through the Sub County Director of Education (SCDE), an allocation of funds duly signed by individual students.

They are also to ensure individual students sign school lists per class that show their admission numbers and full names as in the admission register and the amount awarded.

Payment voucher

Kipsang said the lists should be attached to the payment voucher kept in the school as per procedure and every student issued with a school official receipt for the allocation.

“This must be accomplished within two weeks of receipt of funds. Schools whose acknowledgement is not received at the headquarters in stipulated time will be suspended from the programme. It should be noted recovery will be instituted for any school that is found to have an enrolment less than the one used in this disbursement,” the PS directed.

He also said that some of the schools have been left out of the disbursement.

“These schools are those that their school characteristics are conflicting. These schools will be provided with their funds once the details are confirmed,” the PS explained.

He advised schools to complete their data on the national Education Management Information System (NEMIS) as subsequent disbursements will be based on this system.

Similarly, he said all schools are required to operate a tuition account where all payments should strictly be made by cheques.

Funds in the tuition account must be utilised for the procurement of teaching and learning materials only and no virement is authorised in this account.

They are also to use an operation account for banking of all Government subsidies except the tuition funds and each must have a separate cash book and schools must post on their notice boards the amount received.

As far as financial obligations are concerned, the PS said all school management are expected to ensure prudence in the use of school funds and adhere to the laid down financial regulations as stipulated in the handbook on financial management for schools, Teacher Training Colleges and Technical and Vocational Colleges, issued by the Ministry, the Public Finance Management Act 2012 as well as Public Procurement and Disposal Act 2015. “All stipulated accounting procedures and other necessary measures, including cost saving, must be adhered to by all schools at all times,” the PS directed.

He directed all JSS not to enter into financial contracts without the express written approval of CS in line with the Basic Education Act 2013.