With less than two weeks to the start of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), education stakeholders have warned of a possible disruption in the national examinations.
This is due to the government's delay in disbursing adequate capitation to cater for students' education in the third term, a situation the education stakeholders say threatens to derail learning in most schools.
The Kenyan Primary School Headteachers Association (KEPSHA) Fuad Ali admitted that some schools were yet to receive capitation funds, placing school heads in a tight corner.
Addressing the press on Monday, October 6, the KEPSHA boss disclosed that only a few institutions had already received the capitation, while most schools grappled to sustain operations.
"As of today, many schools have not received government capitation apart from a few that have received it. A big percentage of the schools have not received the capitation," Ali maintained.
At the same time, the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) expressed similar concerns, warning of a possible delay in the administration of KCSE.
KUPPET, through its Deputy Secretary General, Moses Nthurima, revealed that several essential materials were yet to be procured, a situation that the union claims could jeopardise the end-of-year exams.
"What was supposed to be remitted this term has also been delayed in most schools. This is going to affect the administration of the exams seriously," said Nthurima.
He added, "For instance, chemicals for practicals must be bought. We also need food for the learners. The recurrent expenditure within schools will be affected badly."
Meanwhile, this comes barely three weeks after President William Ruto directed Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba and his treasury counterpart John Mbadi to address the capitation challenges in schools.
Addressing teachers on September 13, during a forum held at State House in Nairobi, Ruto ordered the two leaders to meet and streamline the capitation disbursement formula to align with the education calendar year.
The Head of State 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 Ruto, the variance in the normal calendar year and the financial year impacted capital flow to schools, consequently disrupting learning. He thus urged the duo to promptly resolve the matter.
"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.
