Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has called on school heads to refrain from sending students home due to fee arrears, assuring them that capitation funds are in the process of being disbursed.
Speaking during a visit to St. Charles Lwanga Junior School in Mombasa, Ogamba revealed that the Treasury had already released Ksh19 billion on Thursday, with an additional Ksh15 billion expected by Friday.
“We are in the process of completing the Sh48 billion allocation in the next one or two weeks to ensure all schools receive their resources,” Ogamba stated. “We are asking headteachers not to send children home because the funds are on the way to their accounts,” he added.
SHA Registration and Transition Efforts
During his visit, Ogamba oversaw the enrolment of learners into the Social Health Authority (SHA) and inspected school infrastructure, including the transition of students from Grade 8 to Grade 9.
He noted that his ministry is collecting data on schoolchildren without birth certificates to share with the Ministry of Interior, enabling their registration with SHA.
“We have partnered with the Ministries of Health and Interior to ensure parents can register with SHA and include children who are beneficiaries,” the CS explained. “We are using a whole-of-government approach to make the SHA registration process seamless,” he added.
School Infrastructure Development
Ogamba announced that the construction of 15,000 laboratories for junior secondary schools will commence this year. He also reported significant progress in the construction of classrooms, with over 14,500 Grade 9 classrooms out of the required 16,000 already completed. The remaining classrooms are expected to be finished by the end of January.
In addition, the CS confirmed that books have been distributed to ensure all learners have adequate learning materials, supporting the government’s goal of achieving a 100 per cent transition rate.
Commitment to Minimising Disruptions
Addressing concerns raised by the Kenya Primary Heads Association over potential disruptions in school operations due to delayed capitation, Ogamba reassured stakeholders of the government’s commitment to ensuring minimal disruptions.
“The government is dedicated to maintaining stability in learning across all basic education institutions, especially in junior schools,” Ogamba affirmed.
He also highlighted the recruitment and retooling of 76,000 teachers to meet the unique demands of junior secondary school education.
