Nairobi, Kenya – A financial crunch in Kenya’s education sector has left schools across the country struggling to stay open, with some sending students home due to lack of funds. The crisis stems from the government’s delay in disbursing the capitation money that public primary and secondary schools rely on for operations. As the new term began, headteachers reported empty coffers – forcing drastic measures. “We have not received a shilling, yet suppliers are on our necks and the feeding programme is almost shutting down,” one school principal in Samburu lamented, noting they can no longer afford food or utilities. Several schools have already sent learners back home until funds arrive, and many others say closures are imminent if the cash doesn’t come through.

Education CS Julius Ogamba confirmed that over Ksh 17.1 billion meant for free primary and day secondary education this term, along with Ksh 5.9 billion for exams, had not been released to schools on time. However, he defended the move as intentional, citing a sweeping audit to weed out “ghost” schools and inflated student enrolment numbers from the system. “We must verify and confirm the number of learners and schools before wiring funds. Those who operate bank accounts for ghost schools will be arrested,” Ogamba warned, adding that detectives and auditors are cleaning up data in the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS). According to the ministry, the Treasury already disbursed the money to the Education Ministry, but the ministry is withholding it pending verification to ensure only legitimate schools and students are funded.

The cash-flow crunch has placed school administrations in a bind – caught between government efforts to enforce accountability and the urgent need to cover basic expenses. Teacher unions and parents’ associations are urging a faster resolution, arguing that innocent learners are suffering due to bureaucratic delays. If the audit isn’t concluded soon, more schools may halt classes as they can’t pay for food, transport, or utilities. The government has, in the meantime, released funds for universities and technical colleges, indicating the basic education sector’s delay is a targeted measure. For now, thousands of students remain at home waiting, as school heads anxiously await a green light to keep educating Kenya’s children without interruption.