Insufficient Funding: Principals’ Mental Health Negatively Impacted by Lack of School Resources, Reports Oyuu
Collins Oyuu, secretary general of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), has requested that the government review the allocation of capitation funds in order to alleviate the financial difficulties faced by school principals as a result of the current economic inflation.
The per-pupil allocation to schools has remained unchanged for ten years despite a 50% increase in the cost of living. Now, the price of essential commodities has doubled. “We are sitting on a time bomb, as it is difficult to manage hungry adolescents,” he said.
During a church fund drive in the Rarieda constituency, Oyuu stated that the Union backed the recommendations of the Presidential Working Group on Education Reforms (PWPER) for the government to increase capitation to schools in order to make the educational institutions more manageable.
He disclosed that school administrators were struggling to feed and retain pupils with the current budget, affecting their mental health.
“As a result of the meager capitation, our chiefs now suffer from high blood pressure and heart conditions as they struggle to make ends meet. We urge the government to increase and promptly disburse the capitation funds,” he said.
The SG bemoaned that despite the current capitation, the disbursement was late, despite a media announcement to that effect, thereby increasing the pressure on schools.
Oyuu stated that the Union will continue to advocate for the welfare of teachers, particularly school principals, and vowed to be a member of the delegation attending the KESSHA heads conference in Mombasa in order to urge the government to revise the capitation.
Several Junior Secondary Schools (ISSs) had missed out on capitation funds because some students were not registered on NEMIS, he noted.
“Some school administrators were shocked to discover that their school accounts were devoid of funds.” The Ministry of Education’s explanation is that some pupils were not on NEMIS. “This should have been handled more effectively,” he commented.
Oyuu was flanked by the Union’s national treasurer, James Ndiku, the deputy secretary general, Hesbon Otieno, and the national executive member representing Nyanza, Alex Dunga.
Insufficient Funding: Principals’ Mental Health Negatively Impacted by Lack of School Resources, Reports Oyuu
