Government raises primary school capitation by 58 per cent to Sh2,238 per learner
The move comes amid rising concerns from education experts that the amount is still too low to meet the demands of the growing cost of living and the Competency-Based Curriculum.
The government has announced that funding for learners in public primary schools will increase by 58 per cent, raising the allocation to Sh2,238 per pupil.
The move comes amid rising concerns from education experts that the amount is still too low to meet the demands of the growing cost of living and the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
More To Read
- Education Ministry pledges early capitation release for smooth start to new term
- Over 44,000 schools cleared for capitation as audit uncovers 87,000 ghost learners
- CBE curriculum spirit alive in Eastleigh as parents lead new wave of youth football development
- MPs outraged as Education CS reveals Sh1.1 billion paid to ghost students in public schools
- Capitation withheld from 29 schools pending verification, Education CS Ogamba tells MPs
- Capitation crisis forces early school closures nationwide
Currently, the government provides Sh1,420 per primary school learner to cover tuition and operational costs. Basic Education Director-General Elyas Abdi, in a televised interview, confirmed that official communication has been issued stating that capitation for primary learners will now rise to Sh2,238.
The Elimu Bora Working Group welcomed the decision but cautioned that the amount remains inadequate.
“That is a good intention, but should be implemented on the interim as a unit cost analysis is done so that what’s provided for learners is adequate,” said the group’s Policy and Strategy Advisor, Boaz Waruku.
The increase follows recommendations from the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms, established by President William Ruto, which suggested revising the primary school capitation to Sh2,238 to reflect the demands of the Competency-Based Curriculum.
Waruku, however, argued that the recommendations should have been implemented sooner and stressed that inflation has eroded the value of the new allocation.
The Kenya Kwanza administration has struggled to fully release capitation funds, citing limited fiscal space. Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi recently told Parliament that delays in disbursement occur because the allocated budget is lower than anticipated.
The funding adjustment also highlights concerns over secondary education costs. Parents of children in day secondary schools are expected to pay an additional Sh9,374 annually, raising the total capitation per learner to Sh22,244, according to the Ministry of Education’s Guidelines for the Implementation of Senior School Education 2025.
The guidelines, shared with school principals in October, refer to a 2015 Gazette notice that set the government capitation at Sh12,870.
Under the free secondary education programme introduced in 2018, parents were required to contribute around Sh5,000 per term for meals, uniforms, and personal items.
Several school principals have begun circulating fee structures, including the additional Sh9,374, spread over three terms.
“Our fear is, are these parents going to afford given that it has been a struggle getting them to pay the amount for meals?” posed a school principal in Murang’a who preferred to remain anonymous.
The challenge coincides with the transition of the first Competency-Based Education cohort into Grade 10. “We can foresee that some of the schools will not receive many of the Grade 10 pupils owing to the financial impediment on parents,” added another principal.
Despite these concerns, Abdi reassured that there will be no fee increase in January 2026. “The capitation still stands at Sh22,244 for senior schools next year,” he said, addressing claims by Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro that the government intended to raise fees.
Abdi did not clarify why the ministry referenced a ten-year-old Gazette notice in the guidelines meant to facilitate the transition to senior school.
Free Day Secondary Education was first introduced in January 2008 under President Mwai Kibaki, and later enhanced in 2018 under his successor, Uhuru Kenyatta, as part of efforts to ensure a full transition from primary to secondary education.
Top Stories Today
