Financial crisis in public schools to worsen as State eyes funding cuts

Parents with children in public secondary schools may soon face increased financial strain as the government plans to further cut funding.

The move could lead to school heads raising fees to bridge the funding shortfall. Schools will receive Sh21 billion less than what is needed to provide capitation under the Free Day Secondary Education programme.

Under this programme, each secondary school student is supposed to receive Sh22,244, and to support this, the Ministry of Education says it requires Sh76 billion. However, the government has only allocated Sh54 billion in the budget estimate.

This funding gap is expected to significantly impact school operations, with Basic Education PS Belio Kipsang warning that 982,197 students may miss out on capitation.

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“This goes against Chapter Four of the Constitution, which guarantees free and compulsory basic education,” Kipsang told the National Assembly’s Education Committee.

However, it’s not just secondary schools that will suffer. Primary schools will also face a Sh1.2 billion deficit, having been allocated Sh9.12 billion, while they need Sh10.3 billion.

Under the Free Primary Education (FPE) programme, each learner is entitled to Sh1,420 in capitation. Due to the deficit, Kipsang says 656,512 learners will not receive capitation.

In junior secondary schools, there will be a Sh4 billion shortfall, as the budget team allocates Sh45.66 billion out of the required Sh49.72 billion.

The impact of these cuts could be severe, as schools are already grappling with rising costs. The underfunding may force many to impose more levies or cut essential services.

In recent years, headteachers have lamented that the government’s capitation has been on the decline. Secondary schools have reported receiving only Sh17,000 per learner instead of the allocated Sh22,244.

This funding crisis has led school heads to submit a proposal to the Ministry of Education requesting an increase in school fees.

The Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (Kessha), in a document titled Operational Crisis in Secondary Schools, has proposed significant fee hikes. If approved, parents with children in national schools would pay an additional Sh20,000, bringing the annual fees to Sh73,182, up from Sh53,554. Fees in extra-county and county schools would rise from Sh45,554 to Sh68,023.

Day secondary schools, which are supposed to be free, would start charging Sh5,372 per student on top of the government’s capitation.

Kessha argues that the current fee structure is outdated and does not reflect the current economic realities, saying the cost of food, utilities, and learning materials had skyrocketed in recent years.

For example, the cost of essential commodities has risen sharply. In 2015, the price of a ream of photocopy papers was Sh420, but it now costs Sh890 — an increase of Sh470. The price of a 50kg bag of rice has doubled, from Sh3,600 to Sh7,200, while a 90kg bag of sugar has risen from Sh5,000 to Sh7,800.

“The current capitation of Sh22,244 per learner was last reviewed seven years ago, and it is therefore out of step with the prevailing economic realities. It is clear that the cost of common goods and services has risen drastically, while the capitation has remained unchanged,” the headteachers said in the document.

The document also highlights the struggle schools are facing to meet financial obligations, leading to rationing of meals, delayed projects, and strained operations.