Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has urged primary and secondary school head teachers not to send learners home over unpaid fees.
Speaking on Thursday morning at Jogoo House, Nairobi, Ogamba clarified that the government was on the verge of disbursing an additional Ksh14 billion to schools with the rest of the amount set to be channelled to school accounts in the coming weeks.
The education CS advised school administrators to exercise patience and attributed the delayed disbursement to budgetary constraints facing the government.
“We urge principals and head teachers not to send away the students home because we are working day and night to ensure the resources are available,” Ogamba stated.
“We are aware of the challenges and sending them home will create stress for the parents and we do not need that, what we need to work together. We are working and you will be receiving the final batch in the next few weeks,” he added.
The CS was forced to clarify the matter after school heads threatened to halt learning activities from next week should the government fail to disburse the remaining amount of capitation to schools.
Addressing the press on Tuesday, January 28, education stakeholders faulted the government for allegedly failing to honour its pledge of releasing the funds by the end of January.
The Ministry of Education recently released Ksh19 billion for basic education, however, education stakeholders claim that the money was insufficient to fund learning in schools.
According to Kisumu Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) representative David Obuom, the Ksh19 billion disbursed by the government last week did not include funds for the construction of Junior Secondary School classrooms.
Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, Obuom revealed that the government’s failure to release enough funds could prompt school heads to call for demonstrations and thus disrupt the current school calendar.
“The suppliers helping to put up infrastructures in schools do not have their money captured in the disbursement. So what happens next?” questioned David Obuom, KNUT official, Kisumu branch.
Meanwhile, CS Ogamba's sentiments were echoed by Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura who revealed that the National Treasury on Wednesday released Ksh14 billion more towards the school capitation.
Mwaura assured school heads that the outstanding ksh15 billion of capitation would be released to schools in due course.
