Cash crunch cripples' schools pushing learning to the brink

Students walk at Uhuru park in Nairobi Town after the schools closed for term two on Tuesday April 19th, 2023 [Boniface Okendo, Standard] Schools across the country are facing a financial crisis due to delays in capitation funds, with headteachers warning that teaching and learning are on the brink of collapse. The government's failure to disburse the expected 50 per cent of funds for the term has left institutions struggling to deliver the curriculum to learners. Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA) National Chairman Willy Kuria said the financial strain has left schools in debt, with some owing millions in electricity, water, and stationery expenses. "Some institutions have had their electricity and water supply disconnected due to huge bills. We have debts with suppliers, which keep soaring because we pay in bits due to financial challenges," he said. Kuria revealed that over the past five years, funding deficits have accumulated to more than Sh64 billion. According to a principal at one of the national schools, Sh4,181 per student was received this term against the expected Sh11,122 per student. A principal from Kakamega County lamented that they had no choice but to send students home for fees. "What will they eat while in school? If they stay, they will riot. It's unsafe to keep learners in school without resources," the principal said. Another principal said their school had been forced to reduce food rations to make it through the remaining days of the term. "We had to agree with the boys on cutting down costs to avoid increasing school fees. They have to forgo some meals but at least stay in school," he said. Concerns over the crisis were amplified by an incident on Sunday night at Nakuru Boys High School, where students went on the rampage over the management's decision to ration meals. Sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Standard that the violent protests, which began around 9pm, lasted over three hours, leaving a trail of destruction. "The protests were sparked by the school management's decision to remove milk tea and replace it with black tea, as well as introducing cards for purchases at the school canteen instead of cash," a source said. County Commissioner Loyford Kibaara confirmed the incident, stating that students were sent home on Monday morning. "There was massive destruction of property at the school, and the extent of the damage is still being assessed. Calm has been restored, and the students have been sent home," said Kibaara. National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, while in Garsen Constituency recently, assured school heads that Sh48.8 billion in capitation funds would be released this week. On January 28, Basic Education Principal Secretary Dr Belio Kipsang announced that the government had released Sh14.3 billion as the first tranche of capitation funds, covering only about 20-25 per cent of the total expected amount. However, Kuria described the situation as dire, particularly for day schools that rely heavily on capitation funds.. "Imagine running a school for a month with no money," he posed. Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Deputy Secretary-General Moses Nthurima noted that the government is underfunding schools by using outdated enrolment figures. "You have 600 learners, but they release funds for 350. When the ministry is about to disburse the money, they ask principals to send data, but before it reaches them, they release funds based on old records," Nthurima said. A report released lst year "Are Our Children Learning?", found that poor capitation, lack of accessibility, long distances to school, and inadequate infrastructure were major contributors to school dropouts.

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