President William Ruto on Saturday afternoon directed Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba and his Treasury Counterpart John Mbadi to address the challenge of capitation in schools.
Addressing teachers during a forum held at State House in Nairobi, the Head of State ordered the two leaders to meet and streamline the capitation disbursement formula to align with the education calendar year.
Ruto noted that while the capitation disbursement was done in three tranches within the normal calendar year, the two CSs had raised a concern that it contrasted with the budget year, which begins from July 1.
According to the President, the variance in the normal calendar year and the financial year impacted capital flow to schools, consequently disrupting learning.
While directing Ogamba and Mbadi, Ruto told the duo to address the matter within the next three months and present a comprehensive report by December this year.
"There is a problem in the capitation release. Most of the time, there is a delay. So I am instructing the Minister of Education to sit down with the Minister of Finance to align this" Ruto directed.
"When I tried to ask them what the issue is, they told me that because our financial year is June to June, and the education is January to December, there is a bit of disconnect, so we need to align," the Head of State added.
During the meeting dubbed Walimu Na Rais Forum, President Ruto assured teachers of the government's commitment to fully addressing the capitation challenge by the start of the new education calendar year, which begins in January 2026.
Ruto's directive comes a fortnight after the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) called on the Ministry of Education to expedite the release of the school capitation funds.
Speaking in Eldoret on August 30, KUPPET Chaiperson Omboko Milemba noted that many schools were struggling with inadequate finances as students prepare for the final exams.
According to Milemba, in the second term, schools were forced to close early due to a lack of adequate capital, adding that a similar situation could be witnessed in the third term.
"Schools have been closed, but remember that in the last term, schools closed early because we did not have capitation. Now we are one week to the opening of the third term, and we don't have the capitation," Milemba stated.
