The National Assembly is actively advocating for the timely release of capitation funds to schools, a move aimed at averting financial distress that has left many institutions on the brink of auction by suppliers. Mathioya MP Edwin Mugo made the announcement on Friday during a bursary issuance ceremony at Kiambuthia Secondary School.
Mugo noted that the delay in disbursing capitation funds has left school heads in a precarious position, often forcing them to send students home due to unpaid fees. He attributed the delays to a mismatch between budget allocations and actual revenue collection by the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).
“The biggest issue we face is that the budget doesn’t align with cash flow. Although Parliament allocates funds for capitation, KRA often falls short in revenue collection, leading to delays,” he explained.
The MP expressed concern that a large chunk of the national revenue is diverted towards debt repayment, squeezing critical sectors like education. He reaffirmed Parliament’s commitment to ensuring education remains a top priority, citing the nearly Sh800 billion allocated to the sector in the recent budget.
During the event, Mugo disbursed Sh64 million in bursaries to support students in day and boarding secondary schools as well as tertiary institutions. Each day scholar received Sh5,000, up from Sh3,000 in previous years, totaling Sh15 million. About 2,400 boarding students were awarded Sh8,000 each, summing to Sh19 million, while 890 students with disabilities received Sh10,000 each.
“We have automated the bursary distribution process. The funds are sent directly to schools, and parents receive SMS notifications confirming the transactions,” Mugo noted.
He also unveiled a Sh4.5 million dining hall at Kiambuthia Secondary School, replacing the former makeshift arrangement where students ate under trees. Additionally, Sh15 million has been allocated to renovate six primary schools, each receiving Sh2.2 million to improve learning infrastructure, including tiling classrooms.
Mugo assured constituents that efforts to secure timely and sufficient school funding will continue, underlining that the future of Kenyan children must not be compromised by administrative inefficiencies.MPs School Capitation
