KNUT Urges Prompt Disbursement of Student Capitation
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has urged the Ministry of Education to promptly release capitation funds to schools for effective operations.
Speaking on Sunday, April 27, the union’s Secretary General, Hesbon Otieno, stated that this would facilitate the transition expected in the second term.
According to the SG, the second term is when Grade 9 students will choose their senior secondary school pathways, making sufficient funding vital for a seamless transition.
He thus called on the government to issue the capitation and any outstanding amounts from the first term before schools reopen, rather than in the middle of the term or at its conclusion.
“It is critical that the ministry provides the 30 percent that is meant to be given in the second term. They should ensure its timely release before the schools reopen, and if there are any outstanding balances from the first term, they should be disbursed to allow the schools to commence positively due to the transition,” he emphasized.
“I recognize that students are about to start selecting the pathways they will pursue in grade 10. Schools need to be prepared to guarantee that this process takes place efficiently to avoid delays or frustrations for the heads of institutions and the school management. ”
Current Grade 9 students will be the first senior secondary students under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) programme, and they will begin specializing in various pathways starting from Grade 10.
According to the new curriculum, three pathways exist—Arts and Sports, Social Sciences, and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)—with each student expected to select no more than two.
The pathways will be chosen based on both merit and the student’s preferences to guide them on their intended career paths.
However, this has faced difficulties, as the ministry encountered significant criticism after announcing that only STEM students would be required to study mathematics, a subject that was compulsory in the 8-4-4 system.