The government has moved in to address infrastructural challenges in secondary schools following the 100 percent transition policy that has left many schools grappling with congestion due to limited capacity.
Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed told the National Assembly Education committee that the ministry has received Sh1.5 billion from the Treasury and the funds will be disbursed to all secondary schools for infrastructure development.
Ms Mohamed told the committee chaired by Tinderet MP Paul Melly that the bulk of the money will go to sub-county and county schools which have mostly been affected by the transition policy.
According to the figures presented to the committee by Ms Mohamed, some 31,337 candidates were selected to join national schools, 128,838 to extra county schools, 148,215 to county schools, 722,318 to sub-county schools and 1,626 to special needs institutions.
CAPITATION
Ms Mohamed said on top of the Sh22,844 capitation that all students are entitled to, the ministry will give each student in a day school Sh6,000 while those in boarding schools will get Sh8,000 for infrastructural development.
Of the Sh22,844 capitation money, 25 percent (Sh5,711) is meant for infrastructural development.
“The money we have received from the Treasury will target mainly ‘small’ schools. Schools with up to 1,000 student population will receive Sh6 million every year for maintenance and improvement of infrastructure,” Ms Mohamed said.
She was hard-pressed by MPs to explain why the government has insisted on 100 percent transition without first developing requisite infrastructure in secondary schools.
