The government has released Sh21.8 billion as capitation funds to public basic education institutions. Education CS Julius Ogamba said the capitation has been apportioned for Free Public Education, Free Day Junior School Education and Free Day Secondary Education.
The ministry allocated Sh1.6 billion for Free Public Education, Free Day Junior School Education has been allocated Sh6.1 billion and Sh14 billion for Free Day Secondary Education.
Ogamba said the release of the funds is timely as schools prepare to reopen on August 26, 2024.
“In readiness for the new school term starting August 26, 2024, the government has released Sh21,879,307,912.48 as capitation for learners in all public basic education institutions,” the CS said in a statement.
He said the release of capitation funds before the commencement of the new school term will facilitate the seamless resumption of school activities in the new term.
“The Government affirms its commitment to fulfil its duty to learners in institutions, in line with Article 53(1)(b) of the Constitution that entitles every child to free and compulsory basic education,” he added.
The CS further directed school heads and principals to ensure the prudent use of the public resources entrusted to their care for the benefit of learners.
He said they should desist from imposing any unauthorized levies.
The CS pledged to deal firmly with any verified cases of misappropriation of resources and the imposition of unauthorised levies.
Parents are pleading with teachers not to go on with their planned strike ahead of schools re-opening for the third term next week.
The National Parents Association chairperson Silas Obuhatsa on Friday said the strike will paralyze learning yet candidates are expected to sit for their final exams.
“We are asking the teacher unions that they are also parents. They have to understand that our children have suffered because of floods and the Gen Z demonstrations and now teachers strike because of things that can be resolved later,” Obuhatsa told the Star.
“We are requesting the unions to consider having teachers back in class. We are also calling on the TSC to ensure that all teachers are in class next week because they have been paid and as parents, we cannot allow children to stay in class without teachers.”
Talks between the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), and Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) this week ended in a stalemate as parties failed to agree.
“Regrettably, the Commission has once again failed to address our concerns. The Commissioners brought absolutely nothing tangible in five out of six irreducible demands we have made,” the unions said in the statement signed by KUPPET Secretary General Akelo Misori and his KNUT counterpart Collins Oyuu.
The commission however stated that they had reached an agreement for the implementation of the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement as it called for tutors to be patient.
“The TSC wishes to profusely thank the government for providing adequate resources for the CBA and all other teacher programmes despite the harsh economic environment,” a statement from the commission stated.
The National Treasury on Wednesday released nearly Sh30 billion to the Ministry of Education to support its activities.
The funding included; Sh1.623 billion for the State Department for Basic Education to facilitate free primary education in the upcoming third term, an additional Sh14.145 billion to the same department to cover free day secondary education for the third term, and a further Sh6.109 billion for Junior Secondary Education
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