Anxiety grips school heads as State yet to release third term funds
@hillarymageka
Public secondary and primary schools are staring at a financial crisis in the face as the government is yet to release third term funds.
Principals and headteachers, who were expecting the funds when schools reopened on Monday, have expressed anxiety as they are yet to receive the disbursements.
However, the 15 per cent the government owed schools the last term has been disbursed to pay suppliers, buy stationery and clear salary arrears for teachers employed by boards of management.
“The government has already paid out 15 per cent of second term disbursement. However, we are yet to receive any funding for the third term,” Kenya Secondary School Heads Association chair Kahi Indimuli told People Daily.
Payment schedule
Normally, government releases 50 per cent of the allocated cash, which is based on the population of learners in each school, at the beginning of the first term, 30 per cent is paid in the second term and the remaining 20 in the third term.
“We expect 20 per cent to be sent to our schools’ accounts anytime. We, however, ask the ministry to release the money in time to help us plan and prepare for the national examinations,” he added.
The government pays Sh22,244 for learners in secondary school and Sh1,420 for those in primary schools.
The exams are scheduled to start next month. Candidates sitting the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exam are set to begin on October 28 with the Mathematics paper, and sit their last paper Social Studies and Religious Education on October 31.
Form Four candidates will begin their Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exam on November 4 and the last paper will be done on November 27.
The Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) timetable also includes strict rules and penalties for candidates involved in exam malpractices.
