Ministry to increase Schools’ Capitation Grant – Magoha.
Prof George Magoha, Cabinet Secretary for Education, has revealed that the Ministry is considering increasing capitation funds to more than 28,000 public primary schools.
Magoha told the 10,000 delegates at the Primary Schools Head Teachers Association (KEPSHA) annual conference in Mombasa that his ministry has recognized the need to increase the grant to cover emerging costs, such as increased enrolment following the implementation of the 100 per cent transition.
The CS told the conference that his ministry spends 25.9 per cent of the national budget on reforms aimed at effectively implementing the ministry’s core mandate of providing quality education to Kenyan children.
“I know the majority of you would say capitation should be looked into again. I fully agree. My ministry is consuming most of the government money but I will find a way to persuade his Excellency the President that if we can tweak this up, I think it is possible, I will persuade him it should go to primary school capitation and not anything else. You can take it to the bank, I would do my best to do so,” he added.
The CS was flanked by Dr Julius Jwan, Principal Secretary Early Learning and Basic Education, and Prof Fatuma Chege, State Department for Curriculum Reforms counterpart, among other top ministry officials.
Magoha told the primary school heads that his National Treasury and Planning counterpart, Ukur Yatani, had also assured him that all public school capitation funds would be deposited into schools’ bank accounts before classes resumed next week.
“By the orders of none other than His Excellency the President, we must ensure that money is in your account by next week.”
“Don’t worry about it; the little you’re getting must be in school next week,” he added.
Magoha praised the principals of public primary schools for their prudent management of the funds released by the ministry to run their schools so far.
Concerning school infrastructure, the Education CS stated that the National Government will embark on a second phase of procuring new desks, focusing on public primary schools to ensure adequate seating for all students.
He noted that the government has made significant progress in equipping both primary and secondary schools, and named headteachers as the most important link in the successful implementation of that program.
“That stimulus package for 625,000 desks, of which you received half for your primary schools, that cooperation we found from you from individual teachers is appreciated. As the results of that, we are looking for means and ways of repeating the same exercise,” added Magoha.
Ministry to increase Schools’ Capitation Grant – Magoha
