Government releases Sh22 billion for term two capitation
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba on Tuesday announced that the funds had been disbursed to cater for capitation in the second term of the 2025 academic year.
The government has released Sh22 billion to support public schools under the Free Primary and Free Day Secondary Education programmes, providing a major boost for institutions that have been struggling since the start of the term due to funding delays.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba on Tuesday announced that the funds had been disbursed to cater for capitation in the second term of the 2025 academic year.
He outlined the breakdown of the allocation, with Sh1.37 billion going to Free Primary Education, Sh8.9 billion for Free Day Junior School Education, Sh118 million for Junior School Special Needs Education, and Sh11.6 billion for Free Day Secondary Education.
"The Government has today released Sh22,028,911,191.40 as capitation for Term 2 for learners in all public basic education institutions," Ogamba said.
He said the move would support smooth running of school operations and ease pressure on institutions that had scaled down learning activities.
"The release of capitation funds will facilitate the seamless conduct of school activities in the new term. The Government affirms its commitment to fulfil its duty to learners and educational institutions, in line with Article 53(1)(b) of the Constitution that entitles every child to free and compulsory basic education," the CS said.
Ogamba warned school heads against misusing the funds or imposing illegal levies on parents, saying the ministry would act on any confirmed cases.
"School heads and principals are directed to ensure prudent use of these public resources entrusted to their care for the benefit of learners, and to desist from imposing any unauthorised levies," he said.
"As a Ministry, we will deal firmly with any verified cases of misappropriation of resources and the imposition of unauthorised levies."
Public schools have been grappling with serious financial challenges due to delays in capitation disbursement.
Institutions were running on empty stores, with unpaid non-teaching staff and unsettled supplier bills, leading to cutbacks in key school services.
More than 70% of secondary school students are in day schools, which rely heavily on Free Day Secondary Education funds.
Learning activities, co-curricular programmes and even simple necessities like chalk and printing papers had been affected.
Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association Chairperson Willie Kuria said schools had expected the funds before reopening to jumpstart operations.
"We’ve been waiting for the government to clear the arrears. We thought the funds would be disbursed before schools reopened to help us jumpstart operations, but nothing has come through," he said.
