By Augustine Oduor

Pressure is mounting on the Government over the amount of money to be disbursed to schools starting next term even as a team set up by Education PS James ole Kiyiapi compiles its report.

Whereas secondary schools want the amount disbursed per student doubled, primary schools want seven times the current amount sent per pupil.

Since 2003, each primary pupil has been receiving Sh1,020 every term while since 2008, secondary students have been getting Sh10,265.

The figures were findings of the Eda Gachukia taskforce of 2003 and 2008 that sought views across the country on the right capitation for schools per child.

Kenya Secondary School Heads Association now wants the amount reviewed to more than Sh20,000 per student.

National chair Cleopas Tirop said beginning next term, each student should receive money based on the price index of commodities.

He says the Government must compare the cost of items under the current market prices to establish the real value of every shilling sent per student. "Since 2008 when free day secondary was launched, every price unit has more than doubled. The amount to schools should also be nothing less than doubled," he said.

Kenya Primary Schools Heads Association national chair Joseph Karuga, said some Sh7,250 should be allocated to each pupil.

"After computation, putting all factors in focus, we see this as the fitting amount per pupil," he said.

However, the State maintains the taskforce set up last month will come up with guiding figures that would form basis of discussion with Treasury.

Education Secretary George Godia said whatever will be proposed by the team shall again be subjected to discussion with Treasury to find a suitable figure that the Government can afford.

Godia said FPE and PDSE funds have been ring-fenced in the Budget meaning the amount must always be there.

"That is why we want a workable figure," he said.

The unfolding debate follows a Motion tabled in Parliament by Vihiga MP Yusuf Chanzu that urged the Government to double the secondary school grant per student and treble that for primary school pupils. He argued the move would ease the burden of the high cost of education on parents and guardians.

"These figures have remained static to date yet the economy has grown threefold to a total discretionary national Budget of Sh834 billion for the Financial Year 2010/2011 with a respective nominal GDP of Sh1.26 trillion in 2003/2004 and Sh2.713 trillion in 2010/2011," he told the House.

Debate in Parliament

The Motion was passed in Parliament early this year, and now, teachers unions are also weighing in to demand a review of the capitation upwards.

Kenya National Union of Teachers Secretary-General Okuta Osiany said the union supports teachers proposal and demands that the allocations be reviewed next term. "The cost of everything has gone up. The reasonable thing to do is to double capitation per child to enable schools run smoothly," he said.

Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers Secretary-General Akelo Misore said a review of capitation would check budgetary constraints on operation cost. "We have had several programmes introduced at primary level like Smasse, which were not included in Government allocation. This means the money should also be reviewed up, not less than double," he said.

PS Kiyiapi told Education the team he set up last month to review disbursement fees "was finalising its report".

Teachers’ eyes are not trained on the ministry taskforce as third term draws to a close to usher in next term.

Figures from the ministry show so far, Sh161 billion has been disbursed to schools as at last year. Of these, Sh60 billion was sent to primary schools and Sh50 billion to secondary schools. At least Sh1.3 billion has been spent on Early Childhood Development Education.

Godia said the enrolment in primary schools has increased to 9.4 pupils this year up from 5.9 in 2003. Secondary schools enrolment has also increased to 1.7 million up from 800,000 in 2008.