Members of Parliament have accused Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba of failing students participating in the ongoing Kenya Music Festival after a funding crisis left learners stranded.
In a heated session in the National Assembly, MPs expressed their frustration, claiming the Ministry of Education has neglected its duty to support the national event.
According to the MPs, schools were forced to conduct last-minute fundraisers and seek support elsewhere after the ministry failed to release crucial facilitation funds on time.
They further argued that the ministry did not communicate a clear timeline or the specific amount of money that would be allocated to the participating institutions, leaving school administrators in a state of confusion.
Emuhaya MP and chair of the National Assembly Education Committee, Omboko Milemba, faulted the CS for not ensuring the smooth running of the event.
“Mr Speaker, as of today, midday schools are still desperately fundraising just to attend the national festivals. This is not a new event. It’s planned every year, yet here we are again."
"The Ministry has not communicated how much money is being sent, when it will be sent, or if it will all be sent. The Cabinet Secretary owes this House and the public a clear explanation,” said Milemba, who is also the Kuppet chair.
The Education CS acknowledged that the amount, which he said was a pitiful Ksh76 per primary school student, was "inadequate" even though he claimed the ministry funds such extracurricular activities through annual capitation funds.
According to Ogamba, the funds allocated for co-curricular activities are inadequate, and delays from the National Treasury affected the timely disbursement of funds for the national event.
“It is important to acknowledge the challenges that impact the effective use of these resources. The high cost of national representation strains school budgets, and delays in disbursement of funds by the National Treasury affect timely facilitation, forcing schools to bridge funding gaps.”
“The specialised events like music festivals and performing arts require costumes and instruments, which demand resources beyond the standard learner allocation,” Ogamba said.
According to the CS, public primary schools receive Ksh76 per learner annually for co-curricular activities under the Free Primary Education programme, while secondary schools receive Ksh1,500 per learner under the Free Day Secondary Education programme.
However, he noted that these funds are not ring-fenced for specific events like ball games or music festivals.
“The Ksh76 and Ksh1,500 allocations are not specifically assigned to events like ball games or music festivals. Schools are expected to prepare their own budgets based on their capacity and the activities they intend to participate in,” Ogamba said.
He added that the ministry retains a portion of the capitation, Ksh40 per learner in primary schools and Ksh500 in secondary schools, for coordination and support at the sub-county, county, and regional levels.
