Free primary and subsidised secondary education are the most effective strategy to expand access and allow eligible children to learn. Since the introduction of free primary schooling in 2003, subsidised secondary education in 2008 and, later, regulated user fee, enrolment has improved significantly.
However, the cash subsidy programme is increasingly running into problems. There is persistent delay in remitting the cash to schools and, when done, it is insufficient. These have a negative impact on the quality of teaching and learning.
Schools reopened this week for the third term, the shortest in the academic calendar, as it is largely dedicated to national examinations. But the government has not disbursed cash to schools, putting them in a precarious situation. They cannot procure teaching and learning materials or meet other financial obligations. Many schools employ teachers under the board of management to plug staff deficits arising from the government’s veto on teacher recruitment. Without capitation, they cannot pay salaries, creating disquiet that is not conducive to quality learning.
The government committed to disbursing cash to schools in three instalments and, ideally, that should be done during the holidays. But it is notorious for taking long before remitting cash to schools, bringing to question the sincerity of the commitment.
The severity of the crisis is coming to bear at this point in time when schools are preparing for national exams. They require cash to buy materials for practical subjects to help them to prepare candidates for the exams on time. Challenges abound when the cash does not come on time, as is the case at present.
Compounding the problem is the fact that the government has put a ceiling on the maximum amount of chargeable fees — Sh53,000 per student for national boarding secondary schools — which sum is never adequate to run all programmes, even with an additional Sh22,000 from the government capitation.
This year, the government launched a campaign to enrol all students to secondary school under what has been dubbed “a 100 per cent transition” and which expanded opportunities to students. However, that came with a huge cost given inadequate infrastructure, teachers and other resources.
There is a major financial crisis in schools that requires urgent intervention. The Education ministry and the National Treasury must find a permanent solution to this cyclical problem. The government must put in adequate resources to make free primary and subsidised secondary education a reality. It should secure funds to send to schools so as to forestall a major crisis and, importantly, monitor its use to ensure it serves the purpose.
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