The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has demanded that the National Treasury release the third-term capitation funds ahead of school reopening next week.
Speaking on Sunday, August 17, the KNUT Chairman, Isiolo branch, Timothy Kimathi Mbae, relayed that teachers were apprehensive about the Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi's claims that free education was no longer sustainable.
Mbae alleged that the lack of free basic education for all Kenyan children would derail a whole generation who might resort to unsavoury activities to sustain their lifestyles.
"Lack of these funds would lead to a future generation of uneducated individuals who can not sustain their lives and thus engage in criminal activities. Others will just be hooligans, addicted to drugs and cannot make a positive change in the world," he stated.
"I join other KNUT officials in requesting that the government reinstate the free primary education funds so that all Kenyan children can access the same education."
While appearing before a National Assembly committee on July 24, the CS claimed that free basic education was no longer sustainable, citing the increased number of students in schools and constrained fiscal resources.
"Currently, learners are provided with tuition and operations costs at the rate of Ksh1,420 for primary education. For junior school, it is Ksh15,042 per child, and in senior secondary school, it is Ksh22,244 per child," he stated.
"However, due to constrained fiscal space and other emerging priorities within the education sector, updating these rates might be untenable. The government will, however, consider reviewing this rate should revenue performance improve."
Subsequently, however, President William Ruto debunked the claims, assuring Kenyans that free basic education was still a priority for the government.
Speaking just hours after his former deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, accused him of embezzling funds from the education capitation funds, on July 27, Ruto affirmed his commitment to making education accessible to all.
"I want to assure you that free primary and secondary education is a constitutional right of every Kenyan, and we have made sure that in the last two years, we have had several initiatives to ensure that education is truly universal and accessible," he said.
"The commitment we have is that education is the greatest empowerment that any society and country can give to its young people, and that is why education must be affordable, accessible, of good quality and relevant."
