President Ruto Warns Principals, Education Officials, Extorting Money From Parents
President William Ruto issued a stern warning to education officials involved in extorting money from parents, emphasizing that the government has already disbursed education funds.
Speaking during a thanksgiving service in Busia County on Sunday, Ruto revealed his awareness of unethical practices where officials request school fees from parents, despite the funds being allocated.
Addressing the situation, Ruto highlighted that the government has allocated Ksh.60 billion in capitation to all learning institutions nationwide, along with an additional Ksh.10 billion in bursaries to facilitate broader access to education for students across the country.
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During his address, Ruto conveyed, “I want to inform those in the education sector not to exploit parents under the false pretext of the government not releasing funds. The money has been disbursed, and these practices must cease.”
Ruto emphasized that a total of Ksh.62 billion has been released to primary and secondary schools, universities, and TVET institutions, including Ksh.10 billion for bursaries to support students from vulnerable families.
Asserting the government’s commitment to enhancing education access, Ruto stated that his administration has hired an additional 56,000 teachers to cater to various institutions. Furthermore, he announced the imminent employment of 2,000 teachers in TVETs this week, underlining the significance of education in fostering equality.
The Ministry of Education clarified that primary education in Kenya is free, with the government providing a subsidy for each learner in boarding schools. Parents are responsible for paying applicable boarding fees based on school locations and categories.
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Highlighting recent financial disbursements, the National Treasury allocated Ksh.4.74 billion on January 3 to the State Department for Basic Education to facilitate free primary education for Term 1. An additional Ksh.7.6 billion was provided as capitation for Junior Secondary Schools (JSS). The Treasury also allocated Ksh.2.8 billion for school examination and invigilation costs, while Ksh.16.2 billion will finance free-day secondary schools in the first term.
On January 17, Ksh.192 billion was disbursed to Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, according to Education Principal Secretary (PS) Dr Esther Thaara Muoria. This funding aims to support tuition, training materials, utilities, and co-curricular activities across these institutions.
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President Ruto Warns Principals, Education Officials, Extorting Money From Parents
