Head teachers mock ministry’s capitation  fund directive

Head teachers mock ministry’s capitation fund directive

Head teachers mock ministry’s capitation fund directive

The Ministry of Education instructed head teachers to certify receipt of Sh8,319 first term capitation monies per student, which has left them perplexed.According to reports, the head teachers of secondary schools only received Sh4,100, not Sh8,319.The principal secretary, Belio Kipsang, issued the directive, which infuriated the head teachers, who swore to disregard it, claiming they could only account for Sh4,100 that was remitted.

The Ministry had instructed the heads to confirm receipt of the funds within a fortnight, according to a January 17 circular to the County Directors of Education.A portion of the circular stated, “Failure to which further release of grants to such schools will be suspended and will not get allocations in future.”The government, according to head teachers, has been withholding Sh64 billion from schools since 2019, leaving them deeply in debt.

Through the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association which has a membership of 9,300, the teachers took to social media platforms complaining over the directive.They said obeying the directive will put them on collision course with parents over the money.

Head teachers can only confirm getting Sh4,100 from the Ministry of Education out of the anticipated Sh10,000, according to Heads Association National Chairman Willy Kuria.Kuria, who also serves as the principal of Murang’a High School, claimed that the government allots Sh22,400 year for each student, a sum that is rarely fulfilled.

“The heads were waiting to receive Sh10,000 from the ministry only to get a rude shock, with less money to run their institutions in the first term,” he said.In response to the teachers concerns, the Ministry of Education issued an updated circular detailing that a second disbursement of the capitation was being processed.The statement by the director of secondary education detailed that they are supposed to acknowledge the first and second tranches in term one amounting to 50 per cent.

A portion of the message stated, “The funds for the second tranche will be disbursed shortly.” The PS clarifies in the circular that the information gathered in Nemis on November 9 of last year was the basis for the allocation per student that was sent.

Muthithi Secondary School’s principal, Njenga Gathige, stated that pressuring head teachers to acknowledge something they haven’t received is immoral.Njenga stated, “The head teachers can only account for what they received in the banks.”According to the ministry’s list, out of the Sh 8,319 that was remitted, Sh 565 was held back for textbooks, co-curricular activities, and SMASS.