Do not send students home, funds are coming, Education CS Ogamba tells schools
Ogamba said that the Ministry of Education is working closely with the Treasury to ensure the outstanding Sh14 billion for first-term capitation is disbursed by next week.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba has urged secondary school heads not to send students home due to delayed capitation funds.
The schools were to receive Sh28 billion for the first term but the ministry only disbursed half of it.
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The government releases capitation for schools in three batches: the first batch is 50 per cent on the first term, followed by 30 per cent in the second term and the balance of 20 per cent in the third term.
Ogamba said that the Ministry of Education is working closely with the Treasury to ensure the outstanding Sh14 billion for first-term capitation is disbursed by next week.
Speaking at the Eldoret National Polytechnic during a quarterly meeting of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) principals, the CS assured stakeholders that efforts are being made to resolve the issue promptly.
“The funds for school fees are not paid by parents directly but through government capitation. We are doing everything we can to ensure that the balance is paid, hopefully by next week. A team from the Ministry is currently at the Treasury to confirm if sufficient resources are available to release the capitation,” Ogamba said.
He also highlighted that the government is working on a solution to ensure timely release of capitation in the future, to prevent recurring issues for both head teachers and students.
University funding
Regarding the controversial university funding model, the CS noted that the presidential review team appointed by President William Ruto is finalising its report.
“The team has reviewed the concerns raised by the public and the courts. Once the report is completed, it will be discussed to ensure that its recommendations address the challenges of the previous model, leading to a more suitable funding model by the time the new cohort of students arrives in September,” he said.
“We want to ensure that the findings are implemented so that we have a funding model that meets the needs of all stakeholders, free from the problems faced by the old system.”
The CS also emphasised the importance of integrity and professionalism in the leadership of public institutions.
“We want all teams to operate within their mandates and avoid overstepping their roles. We don’t want a situation where a board interferes with management. There must be harmony within these institutions,” Ogamba said.
The CS further warned that any board member, principal, or vice chancellor who fails to fulfil their duties or politicises the institutions would face serious consequences.
“Our institutions are bigger than any individual,” he said.
On the issue of TVETs, Ogamba emphasised the government's commitment to ensuring that a significant portion of the 3.5 to 4 million unemployed youths or those in formal education are absorbed into TVETs.
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