Public schools on verge of shut down as funding crisis worsens

Details have emerged about the possible closure of public secondary schools nationwide, as school heads now reveal chronic decline in government funding that threatens to halt operations.

A document by the Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA), titled Operational Crisis in Schools and signed by Chairman Willie Kuria, reveals that the government is disbursing only Sh10,000 per student annually, less than half of the expected Sh22,244.

This shortfall of Sh11,721 has steadily worsened since 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted school operations. "The actual amount received per learner is far below the stipulated capitation grant.

As of now, schools receive Sh10,479.37 per student," the document reads.