Former Budget and Appropriations Committee Chairperson Ndindi Nyoro has accused the government of failing to adequately fund schools for the 2026 academic year, warning that the situation threatens the sustainability of free basic education.
Speaking in Nairobi, Nyoro said the government has only released partial capitation for the first term, an amount he described as insufficient to meet schools’ operational needs.
“I am now formally calling out the government. You have not funded schools in 2026. What you have sent to schools for this term is only KSh 109 per learner, an amount that cannot run any school,” Nyoro said.
He dismissed official assurances that schools have been fully funded, arguing that the public narrative does not reflect realities on the ground.
According to Nyoro, institutions are struggling to pay suppliers, support co-curricular activities and maintain basic services.
“We are making it our responsibility to clearly inform all stakeholders that what the government is saying is not true. The reality in schools is very different,” he said.
Nyoro warned that education stakeholders would closely monitor government actions this term and that parents could be mobilised nationwide if full capitation is not released by mid-term.
“By mid-term, we expect the government to have disbursed the full and proper capitation. Failure to do so will leave us with no option but to mobilise Kenyan parents to demand what is rightfully theirs,” he said.
He emphasised that free basic education is a constitutional right and not a privilege, noting that parents already contribute through taxes.
Meanwhile, the government throught the ministry of eduction had announced that the ministry was talkes with treasury to ensure that schools recieve the fund before the end of 2025.
Speaking during a recent TV47 interview with Andrine Kilemi, Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang Bitok said the government was working tirelessly to disburse first term capitation in time.
“Our capitation request for January is 44 billion for primary, junior, and secondary schools. I was consulting with the PS this morning; they are doing everything possible to ensure that we have that money in our account before the New Year so that by January, all our schools will have their funds on time.”
PS Bitok further assured parents and school administrators that the Ministry of Education remains committed to fully supporting free basic education. He said the government is working within budgetary constraints while prioritising timely disbursement to schools.
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