School heads send students home for fees amid delayed capitation

A financial crunch that has rocked the education sector has left school principals without option but to send students home.

With government capitation funds arriving late — and even in amounts that fall short — headteachers have been struggling to run the institutions.

Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association Chairman Willy Kuria said head teachers have to check spiraling debts and prevent unrest among students.

“It is a choice we never wanted to make. Principals have no option but to send students home for funds no matter how little the balance. This will sustain and keep running institutions,” he said.

Faced with chronic fee arrears and delayed disbursement of capitation — which should be Sh22,244 per student but often arrives in reduced sums — schools are forced to operate on the edge of insolvency.

A principal in Makueni County said they are torn between implementing the government policy that prohibits sending students away for fee arrears and dealing with insurmountable financial shortfall.

“What will those students eat while in school? If they stay, the frustration might boil over into unrest,” he explained.

Kuria said the fear of potential disorder has compelled schools to send learners home. “This decision not only disrupts the academic process but also leaves students loitering in their neighborhoods unsupervised and vulnerable to various risks,” he said.

Benson Manoo, a principal in Machakos County, described the situation as “running schools on goodwill and prayers.”

“With government funds barely covering basic expenses and parents’ payments in arrears, schools are forced to accumulate debts to meet every day operational costs,” he said.

“When parents don’t pay, we have no choice but to accumulate debts with suppliers.”

Joseph Mwangi, a school principal in Kiambu, said sending learners for fees is the last option.

“If the government or other stakeholders stepped in to subsidise costs, this wouldn’t be a debate,” he said.

However, he acknowledged the risks that come with it. “I’ve seen bright students drop out because they got into bad company while out of school. It’s heartbreaking.”

National Parents Association Chairman, Silas Obuhatsa, warned that sending students home is a recipe for disaster to both parents and students. “When they are sent home, we don’t always know where they are during the day. Some feel ashamed to come home because they know there’s no money, so they stay out sometimes until dark,” he said.

He blamed the government for delay of capitation. “This disrupts learning and reduces the quality of education they receive.”

Education stakeholders are warning that the government will be blamed for students who maybe exposed to crime, drug abuse or early pregnancies.

Philip Amuyunzu, lecturer at the Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, said with over 40 per cent of learners reportedly dropping out of school due to unpaid fees, the capitation crisis jeopardises long-term educational outcomes.

“For a student to score an E, there are often underlying issues — family challenges, mental health struggles, or the learning environment itself. The system does not address these,” he said.

“The cumulative deficit — reportedly amounting to billions over the past few years —undermines not only the delivery of quality education but also the overall safety and well-being of learners.”

“The long-term cost of sending students home is much higher than allowing them to stay. We risk losing an entire generation to crime, substance abuse, and other vices,” said Dr Peter Kamau, an education policy expert.