Junior secondary school (JSS) will have biggest capitation ever hitting its accounts in January since its inception two years ago.
This is because JSS will now have three classes (Grade 7, 8 and 9) as Grade 8 learners will be transitioning to Grade 9 in January.
According to law term one will receive fifty percent of all year disbursement while term two gets thirty percent and term three twenty percent.
JSS has three accounts that the Ministry uses to wire funds. These are operational account, tuition account and infrastructure account.
The government has currently allocated sh. 109.9 billion to boost basic education ahead of the new 2025 academic year.
This allocation includes sh. 65.2 billion for Free Day Secondary Education, sh. 35.3 billion for Junior Secondary Education, and sh. 9.36 billion for Free Primary Education programs.
At a meeting in Nakuru Town West Sub-County, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the timely disbursement of these funds is critical to ensuring a smooth reopening for schools.
He also noted that the government has begun reviewing the safety standards of boarding schools.
As part of this process, 348 schools that do not meet safety requirements will be prohibited from running boarding sections starting January 2025.
The government reaffirmed its commitment to achieving the Education 2030 agenda, which prioritizes employing qualified teachers and providing better resources for schools.
Efforts are underway to improve teachers’ work environments, offer necessary tools, and support career growth to strengthen the education system.
Schools have faced financial pressures in the past due to delayed capitation funds, forcing some to rely on loans to sustain operations.
Suppliers have frequently withheld goods, citing payment delays and inconsistencies. These challenges have negatively impacted many institutions.
The education sector continues to face additional issues, including an ongoing lecturers’ strike affecting public universities.
Meanwhile, some institutions, such as Moi University, are struggling with internal management conflicts and staff unrest.