Kenyan Schools Reopen Amid Growing Dispute Over Government Capitation Funds

NAIROBI, Kenya — Learners across Kenya are returning to school on Monday for the third and final term of the academic year, but a dispute over government funding is raising fresh concerns about the financial preparedness of schools.

President William Ruto says the government has released KSh18 billion in capitation funds for the term. However, education stakeholders and school heads dispute the claim, saying many institutions are yet to receive the money and continue to struggle with mounting debts and unpaid bills.

The funding dispute comes as schools prepare for the shortest term of the academic calendar, putting additional pressure on institutions already facing financial constraints.

School Heads Raise Concerns Over Pending Bills

The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) says delayed and fragmented government disbursements have left schools struggling to meet their financial obligations.

KUPPET Deputy Secretary General Moses Nthurima said schools were returning for the final term with significant outstanding bills.

“Schools are least prepared because there are pending bills in the release of school capitation,” Nthurima said.

He said the government is expected to provide KSh22,244 per learner, but argued that schools have not received the full amount required to operate effectively.

According to KUPPET, the funding shortfall could leave school administrators with little choice but to seek additional financial support from parents.

Ruto Says Funds Have Been Released

President Ruto has rejected claims that schools have not received their capitation funds.

Speaking about the reopening of schools, the President said the government had already released KSh18 billion for third-term capitation and dismissed claims of unpaid school debts as politically motivated.

“Previously, the money was delayed. We sent 18 billion shillings for the third term to schools,” Ruto said, adding that claims that the funds were unavailable were misleading.

The conflicting statements have left parents and school administrators seeking clarity over the actual status of government funding.

KUPPET Disputes Government Position

KUPPET has strongly challenged the government's position, with Nthurima describing assurances about the availability of funds as a claim that does not reflect the situation facing schools.

He urged parents to prepare for possible additional financial demands as schools resume.

“Our course of action is to ask parents to prepare to pay for the education of learners because the government has no intention to finance education,” Nthurima said.

The union's position has intensified concerns among parents already facing rising education and household costs.

Schools Still Face Annual Funding Gap

Even if the latest KSh18 billion reaches schools, education stakeholders say it may not fully resolve the financial pressures facing institutions.

The Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA) says schools have received approximately KSh16,456.60 per learner so far this year, compared with the expected allocation of KSh22,244.

That represents a cumulative shortfall of approximately KSh5,787.40 per learner, equivalent to about 26 per cent of the expected allocation.

For schools with large enrolments, the deficit can translate into millions of shillings in unpaid bills and reduced capacity to meet operational costs.

Parents Face Uncertainty as Term Begins

The funding dispute comes at a critical point in the academic year, with schools expected to maintain teaching, provide essential services and settle outstanding obligations despite financial constraints.

While the government maintains that funds have been released, school administrators and teachers' unions say the key issue is whether the money has actually reached individual schools and whether the amounts are sufficient to clear accumulated deficits.

As learners report for the final term, the dispute over capitation is likely to remain a major issue for education stakeholders, with parents watching closely to see whether schools will impose additional charges to bridge the funding gap.