Public schools across Kenya have received a major financial boost after the government released Sh44 billion in Term One capitation, easing pressure on institutions that have struggled with delayed funding and rising operational costs at the start of the academic year.
A breakdown from the Ministry of Education shows that free primary education received Sh3.7 billion, Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) were allocated Sh14.4 billion, while senior secondary schools received the largest share at Sh26.1 billion. The disbursement comes as schools reopen, a period marked by high expenditure on food supplies, learning materials, utilities, and co-curricular programmes.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba said the release reflects the government’s commitment to sustaining learning under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) and cushioning parents from additional costs. The allocation to JSS highlights the growing financial demands of the CBC system, which has expanded enrolment but continues to face challenges related to infrastructure, staffing, and learning resources.
Despite welcoming the funds, some school administrators have raised concerns that the amounts may still be inadequate, particularly for boarding schools dealing with inflationary pressures and rising food prices. Education stakeholders have repeatedly called for timely and predictable capitation to ensure uninterrupted learning.
In a related development, the Ministry of Education has opened a second revision window for Grade 10 placement, allowing parents and guardians to seek admission for learners at senior secondary schools of their choice after reviewing the initial placement results. The second revision phase will run from January 6 to January 9, offering a final opportunity for parents who feel the initial placements did not align with their children’s academic strengths, career interests, or preferred learning pathways.
The placement review follows complaints from parents whose children were placed in schools far from home or in institutions that did not offer their preferred subject combinations. Under CBC, senior secondary education is structured around three pathways—STEM, Social Sciences, and Arts and Sports Science—making placement decisions more consequential than under the former 8-4-4 system.
The ministry has urged parents to use official placement platforms and avoid brokers, warning that any attempt to manipulate the process could lead to disqualification. As schools settle into the new term, attention now turns to whether the released funds will be sufficient to stabilise learning and whether future capitation disbursements will be released on time to prevent recurring disruptions in public schools.
