Schools Receive Sh67 Billion Capitation from Government
The Kenyan government has allocated a total of Sh67 billion to support students in public primary and secondary education since January 2023. Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu provided a detailed breakdown of these funds:
1. Free Primary Education Programme: Approximately Ksh 7.9 billion was disbursed to assist nine million students enrolled in public primary schools.
2. Junior Secondary School: An allocation of Sh14.7 billion has been made to support one million junior school students since January.
3. Free Day Secondary Education: A significant amount of Sh44.4 billion was dedicated to supporting 3.7 million students in free day secondary education.
4. Tertiary and University Education: For the financial year 2023-2024, the government earmarked Sh51.1 billion to support students enrolled in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions and universities.
CS Machogu highlighted that most of these educational institutions commenced their 2023–2024 academic year in September 2023. Furthermore, the government has been actively processing applications for government-funded loans, bursaries, and scholarships from students.
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As of October 4, 2023, the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) released Sh10.5 billion for tuition and maintenance loans to continuing students in universities and TVET institutions under the Old Funding Model. University students received loans ranging from Sh37,000 to Sh60,000, while TVET trainees received an average of Sh40,000 per year.
The government also distributed grants, including capitation, to students at public universities, continuing students at private universities, and trainees in various TVET colleges.
The application period for higher education loans and scholarships for the 2022 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination cohort was extended to October 7th, 2023. By October 4, 2023, a total of 238,714 applications had been submitted.
CS Machogu reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring the timely disbursement of loans and scholarships to support students’ educational endeavors. Universities and TVET institutions have been instructed to admit and retain students who have enrolled, even if they are fee-free.
As of the reporting date, 86.6 percent of students had enrolled in universities for the 2023–2024 academic year, and this number is expected to increase as more universities commence their operations. The admission process for students in TVET institutions is ongoing and conducted continuously.
CS Machogu encouraged eligible students to submit their scholarship and loan applications through the Higher Education Financing Portal (www.hef.co.ke).
Schools Receive Sh67 Billion Capitation from Government
