It’s barely 2 weeks into the 2025 school year, and Kenyan secondary schools are already being hit with a financial storm. Many principals are facing no choice but to send students home, citing the struggle to operate without crucial capitation funds. It’s a dire situation that’s left schools—and millions of students—teetering on the edge of uncertainty.
Willy Kuria, the National Chairman of the Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA), didn’t hold back about the challenges school leaders are facing.
“How are we supposed to manage students without essential resources?” he asked. Frustrations are clearly boiling over, with some principals reportedly starting to send students home as early as last Friday.
This crisis didn’t come out of nowhere. For years, secondary schools have been underfunded, getting less money per student than what they actually need. Last year alone, each school received about Sh7,000 less per student than required, leaving schools to contend with a cumulative funding gap of over Sh64 billion in just five years. That’s a staggering number.
And let’s not forget the ripple effects. By the end of 2024, many schools were drowning in debt. Take Murang’a High School as an example. They’ve racked up unpaid bills for utilities and supplier services totaling Sh20 million.
Add to that the unpaid salaries for Board of Management (BoM) teachers – key staff who help keep schools running smoothly – and you’ve got a recipe for an operational nightmare.
If the funding deficit wasn’t bad enough, the transition away from the 8-4-4 system is putting even more strain on schools. With no Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) candidates in 2024, this year’s Form One admissions have dried up.
For many boarding schools that rely on those incoming students for money, the financial losses have been devastating.
Day schools aren’t faring any better. Since these schools rely entirely on government capitation funds, the delays have pushed them to the brink. Some have had their utilities cut off, while BoM teachers in several schools have threatened to stop teaching altogether if their overdue salaries aren’t paid.
The situation isn’t helped by strained parents, many of whom are already struggling with rising living costs and simply can’t afford school fees right now. It’s a vicious cycle.
The government is stepping in – at least, that’s the promise. The Ministry of Education has announced that the long-awaited capitation funds are on their way, with the National Treasury currently processing the payments.
Dr. Belio Kipsang, Principal Secretary for Basic Education, confirmed that disbursements would begin this week to help primary, junior, and secondary schools deal with the disruptions.
Dr. Julius Ogamba, the Cabinet Secretary for Education, also weighed in, assuring schools of the government’s commitment to free and compulsory basic education. He outlined a plan to release Sh48.38 billion in total, which represents 50% of the annual capitation. Here’s how that money is expected to be distributed:
- Free Primary Education: Sh4,127,304,081.00
- Free Day Junior Secondary Education: Sh15,327,846,478.60
- Free Day Secondary Education: Sh28,924,649,468.76
The Ministry also noted that schools would receive an additional 30% of those funds in Term Two and the remaining 20% by Term Three.
In the meantime, the National Parents Association is asking both parents and schools to work together.
Silas Obuhatsa, the association’s chairman, is urging schools not to send students home over unpaid fees, stressing that education shouldn’t be disrupted. “Let’s find a way forward,” he implored, “because the children are the ones who suffer the most.”
What this crisis shows, above all, is how urgently the government needs to ensure capitation funds are disbursed reliably and on time.
The stakes couldn’t be higher. Millions of students depend on the stability of the education system to carve out brighter futures, yet their learning is now hanging by a thread.
Ultimately, the question isn’t just about when the funds will arrive—it’s about whether this cycle of financial instability can finally be broken. For now, one thing is clear: Kenya’s schools, students, and teachers need long-term solutions, not just stopgap measures.
