MoE Clash with School Heads Over School Capitation
A dispute has arisen between school administrators and the government over the allocation of funds sent to institutions as learners’ capitation. The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) has reported that school administrators are being asked to account for Sh4,002 per student, which has not been disbursed to them.
Kuppet representatives assert that school heads have only received Sh3,187 per student. They argue that it is unjustifiable for the government to demand accountability from those who haven’t received the full funds.
Kuppet Secretary General Akelo Misori pointed out that the Public Financial Management Act and school financial regulations mandate school directors to account for funds received and used by their institutions, not for funds they haven’t received. Misori stressed that the responsibility for funds spent on behalf of schools lies with the Ministry of Education and the recipient agencies, not the secondary schools themselves.
The situation on the ground appears grim, as schools report not receiving capitation funds for the third term of 2023, despite these funds being intended to cover debts from the previous fiscal year. Information from principals indicates that the sum of Sh3,187.87, remitted on September 19, only partially covers outstanding arrears from the previous financial year (2022/2023).
According to Misori, the ministry owes institutions Sh905.13 per student for the previous fiscal year, which ended on June 30. Additionally, the Ministry of Education owes schools an additional Sh5,561 per learner for the first quarter of the current financial year 2023/2024, totaling approximately Sh19 billion that schools are still awaiting.
This withholding of funds is concerning, especially as schools are preparing for important examinations, necessitating resources for learner preparation and practical materials. In total, the government owes each student Sh3,449.50 from the funds allocated to institutions, bringing the total amount withheld from principals to over Sh10 billion, which remains unaccounted for.
Misori also reported that the government withheld Sh815 intended for schools and redirected it to its agencies to provide services for schools. Additionally, funds have been disbursed to the Kenya Institute for Curriculum Development (KICD) and the Centre for Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education in Africa (CEMASTEA) from the tuition account for textbooks and capacity building.
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Furthermore, Sh675 per learner has been remitted to the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) from the operations account to cover medical insurance under EduAfya for learners.
Misori cautioned that if this situation goes unchallenged, it could lead to corruption and misappropriation of public funds. To address these issues, the Ministry of Education has released measures to tighten control and accountability of funds. Principals will be required to record accurate information regarding funds received, matching the National Education Management Information System (Nemis) database.
This directive was issued in a circular dated September 15 by Basic Education PS Belio Kipsang, with institutions given two weeks to comply. Kipsang emphasized the need to monitor the accuracy of enrollment data reflected in Nemis for schools.
MoE Clash with School Heads Over School Capitation
