Ministry of Education Adresses Capitation Disbursement Shortfall.
Paul Kibet, the Director of Secondary Education at the Ministry of Education, has blamed school principals for causing delays in subsequent disbursements.
Kibet said some school principals failed to acknowledge the capitation funds sent to their schools, hence generating audit questions.
By January, approximately three thousand schools had not acknowledged receipt of the prior year’s payout.
According to Mr. Kibet, Nemis acknowledgement is very easy.
“You just need to write a receipt and upload it then from our end we can access and see that the school has acknowledged receipt of the money.”
The ministry creates disbursement guidelines annually. The Ministry of Education issued Sh24 billion capitation early this month, short by nearly Sh4 billion.
In July last year, the government published a circular requiring schools to follow governance and management norms.
72 schools failed to comply and have therefore missed even July last year’s capitation. “How are these schools operating since we haven’t released capitation for January and they’re not asking or crying?” he questioned.
“How are these schools operating because we have not released capitation for January and they’re not asking or crying?” he questioned.
He addressed the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association’s annual meeting in Mombasa.
Director of schools audit Victoria Angwenyi advised principals against charging parents.
Ms. Angwenyi said that the government pays for tuition, textbooks, and learning materials, while parents pay for boarding.
The ministry urged administrators against sending pupils home for lack of school payments earlier this month.
Many schools however disobeyed and sent students home to collect fees.
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu advised principals to use the school fees paid by 85% of parents notwithstanding capitation delays.
"The delays were orchestrated by last week’s public holiday but things are okay,” Machogu said.
Capitation Disbursement Shortfall.
