The government of Kenya has released Sh37 billion (about $357,790,000) to all public schools towards the implementation of free education, a day after they reopened for the 2018 first term.

Sh29.5 billion (about $280,430,000) has been paid to all the public secondary schools for Free Secondary Education (FSE) that has been rolled out as part of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s 2017 pre-election pledge.

The remaining Sh7.5 billion will go to the printing and supply of textbooks for both secondary and primary schools.

As part of efforts to implement FSE, the government increased the capitation fund for secondary boarding schools to Sh22,244 which will be paid directly to the school.

A breakdown of the distribution of the Sh22,244 released Wednesday by the Ministry shows the government has allocated Sh5,122 per student for tuition, which brings the total to Sh13.4 billion.

Similarly, the capitation for cost of operations is Sh6,000 per student, totalling Sh15.7 billion a year.

In a statement, the ministry said a portion equivalent to the cost of the six core course books has been recovered from each learner towards payment for the books under the tuition vote item.

Under the arrangement, pupils in Standard Seven and Eight will each receive four books for English, Kiswahili, science and mathematics, while all students in secondary schools will receive six core textbooks for English, Kiswahili, mathematics, physics, biology and chemistry.

“Schools are expected to acknowledge receipt of the grant by issuing official receipts to the principal secretary for each of the two vote heads followed by receipts to each student for the capitation after they have signed form to be attached to payment voucher as per accounting procedures,” the ministry said in a circular to school principals.

GUIDELINES

The statement was signed by the director of secondary and tertiary education at the Ministry, Mr Robert Masese, on behalf of the principal secretary.

Mr Masese directed all schools to adhere to the guidelines as detailed in the circular issued by the Ministry on the implementation of Free Day Secondary Education.

“For the avoidance of doubt, all national schools and extra-county Schools in Mombasa, Nakuru, Nairobi, Kisumu and Eldoret will charge Sh53,554.00 per year. Any other boarding school will charge Sh40,435.”

In the 2017/18 budget, the government has set aside Sh33 billion for free secondary education and another Sh14 billion for free primary schooling.