Ministry sends Sh9bn to schools

The Ministry of Education has released Sh9 billion to be distributed to all public secondary schools under the subsidised education programme.

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The money caters for the allocations for the new school term as well as pending disbursements from previous terms.

"This money was released on Friday and it is already being wired to schools in the republic," the ministry's public relations officer, Ms Virginia Wangari, said.

Allays fears

All the funds will be used for tuition and operations. The release of the money allays fears expressed by some secondary school head teachers yesterday on how they are going to run their schools without funds for the free learning programme.

At the Coast, some had said activity could grind to a halt if the government failed to release funds when schools reopen on Monday.

The head teachers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they had incurred a lot of debts in the first and second terms due to minimal government assistance.

"Most boarding schools survived the two terms on credit and if the government fails to release what it owes us this term we are in great trouble with our creditors," one said.

Ms Wangari said the Sh9 billion includes the Sh988 per student that was carried forward from the last disbursement in May.

It also includes the balance of Sh5,132 for the remaining period, adding up to Sh6,120 per student. "Boards of governors and principals must exercise prudence in the management of money released to them," Ms Wangari said in a statement.

Last Friday, she said, the director of secondary and tertiary education, Mr Robert Masese, notified all public schools of the disbursement through a circular to their provincial directors of education.

The government has since January released Sh4.6 billion for the free education programme, with each student receiving Sh3, 080. In May, Sh1.6 billion was disbursed, with each learner receiving Sh1,065.

"Following the disbursement on Friday, the total amount sent to schools now has now totalled Sh10,265," she said.

In a telephone interview on Sunday, Coast Secondary Schools Heads Association chairman Enock Mwaruka said they had received confirmation money had been released to secondary schools.

"This gives us confidence to face our creditors," he said. However, Mr Mwaruka who is also the principal of Changamwe Secondary School, said his school had not yet received its share by last Friday.

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Source: Breaking News, Kenya