Headteachers Dismiss Ministry Guidelines on Capitation Funds.
The recent guideline by the Ministry of education indicating that headteachers should acknowledge receipt of KES 8.318 per student has thrown school heads into confusion.
According to school heads, the government has only dispatched KES 4,100 and not the KES 8.319 that it wants them to approve.
The directive has made school heads furious and they have promised to act contrary to the order given by the ministry through PS Belio Kipsang, on the pretext that they are only able to account for the KES 4100 they have received.
In line with a circular through the county directors of education on 17 January, schools must acknowledge receipt of the funds in a span of two weeks. Failure to do so would result in a further suspension of funds to those schools.
A statement by headteachers accuses the government of withholding KES 64 billion from 2019 to date leading to the accumulation of debts by schools.
According to the schools heads who expressed their dissatisfaction on the directive through their social media platforms, acting according to the directive would brew a conflict with parents on issues relating to the funds.
Mr. Willy Kuria, the national chairman of the heads association indicates that school heads can only confirm receipt of KES 4,100 out of KES 10,000. In addition, he argues that the national government has a budget of KES 22,400 per student annually. However, the government has in most occasions not met this target.
Processing of a Second Disbursement
While responding to the concerns of school heads, the ministry of education argues that they are processing a second disbursement. However, a circular from the ministry indicates that schools heads should acknowledge receipt of the first and second disbursement.
The principal of Muthithi secondary school, Njenga Gathige, has questioned the morality of pushing school heads to acknowledge receipt of what they have not received. In his statement, he argues that school heads can only account for what they have physically received.
Finally, according to the statement by the ministry of education, the ministry retains a total of KES 565 per student to cater for SMASS, textbooks, and co-curricular activities.
Headteachers Dismiss Ministry Guidelines on Capitation Funds.