The government will release long-delayed school capitation funds on Tuesday, August 26, in a move aimed at easing financial strain in schools and avoiding disruptions in learning.
Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi announced that Ksh23 billion will be disbursed to schools, alongside additional allocations to the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), following a directive by President William Ruto.
Speaking during the launch of the FY 2026/27 and Medium-Term Budget Preparation Process at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) on Monday, Mbadi admitted that capitation has been neglected for years but assured that the government is now addressing the gap.
“We have not been giving money for capitation for seven years, and I have no apologies to make. Together with the Education CS and PSs, under the president’s instructions, we have looked at the gap. Tomorrow we are releasing Ksh17 billion, Ksh5.9 billion for examinations, and more for HELB,” Mbadi said.
Under the current model, the government pays Ksh22,144 annually per secondary school student, disbursed in three tranches. However, delays in releasing these funds have left schools struggling to stay afloat.
The Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA) recently revealed that the government still owes schools Ksh7.6 billion for first term and Ksh10.6 billion for second term.
Many school heads, the lobby said, are now unable to pay suppliers and have been forced to send away Board of Management teachers, affecting the quality of education.
The announcement comes just days after HELB released Ksh9.6 billion to over 300,000 university and college students to cover tuition and living expenses.
Mbadi said the Treasury is working to mobilise more resources to ensure that schools receive timely support. “We want to get more resources for capitation so that our children can go to school,” he said.