Schools Reopen: Billions Released, But Accountability and Funding Fixes Hold the Key

By Erick Mbogo Githuku

Kenya’s public schools have reopened for the third and final term with the government releasing Sh18.5 billion in capitation funds. Yet fresh audit findings have shifted the education debate: why are parents still being asked to shoulder millions in unauthorized charges at some of the country’s most prominent schools?

Auditor‑General Nancy Gathungu’s latest report flagged illegal levies, questionable procurement, unsupported expenditure, and stalled projects across several public secondary schools in the year ending June 2025. The timing is critical, as learners settle into the nine‑week term running from August 24 to October 23.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has cautioned school heads against imposing extra charges on parents, stressing that the government has already released Sh18.508 billion for Term Three operations. The challenge now is twofold: ensuring schools operate strictly within approved funding rules while addressing long‑standing financial pressures and accountability gaps.

Schools now face twin pressures: to stay within government funding rules while also grappling with persistent financial demands and unresolved debts.

The concern parents now have  

For parents sending their children back to school, the issue is clear: what costs are they legally required to meet?

Government guidelines permit parents to cover specified items such as uniforms and certain boarding expenses, while any additional levies must receive formal approval.

Yet the Auditor‑General uncovered several cases where schools collected large sums without authorization. At Alliance High School, for instance, parents contributed Sh42.25 million through a Parents’ Association support programme — funds raised outside the approved framework.

The audit revealed that parents at several leading schools were asked to pay substantial amounts outside the approved fee framework. At Alliance High School, families were charged Sh30,792 each in March 2024 and later Sh26,000 in 2025, contributions that lacked Ministry of Education approval.

At Mang’u High School, parents paid a total of Sh55.95 million in extra levies, including Sh46,082 per student for a support programme that had not been cleared.

At Friends School Kamusinga, the school collected Sh32.69 million through a Sh10,000‑per‑student development levy, again without authorization.

Similar unauthorized charges were flagged at Nakuru High School, Uthiru Girls High School, Machakos School, and Moi Forces Academy.

The timing gives the audit findings greater weight as schools reopen

The audit covers the financial year ending June 2025, meaning it does not confirm whether the same charges are being imposed in the current third term.

Even so, the findings remain highly relevant: the Ministry of Education has now issued warnings against precisely these practices as the new term begins. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has stressed that schools must not impose unauthorized levies, and principals found in violation will face action.

At the same time, the government’s latest capitation release has shifted the immediate context. A total of Sh18.5 billion has been disbursed for Term Three, divided across key programmes:

·         Sh1.4 billion for Free Primary Education

·         Sh6.14 billion for Free Day Junior School Education

·         Sh10.96 billion for Free Day Secondary Education

The funds are intended to support school operations and learning activities. Yet, as the audit underscores, the disbursement alone does not resolve the wider funding gap — making accountability and enforcement critical to ensure learners benefit fully.

Schools insist the funds remain under strain despite the latest release

Education stakeholders have long argued that capitation funding is often insufficient and, at times, released in fragmented disbursements. The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has warned that such financial strain can push administrators to seek extra contributions from parents.

That distinction is central to the current debate: financial pressure may explain why schools look for additional money, but it does not make unauthorized levies legal.

The Auditor‑General’s findings therefore raise two critical questions:

1.      Are schools receiving enough public funding to meet their obligations?

2.      Is the money they do receive being managed transparently and responsibly?

The challenge now is turning findings into action

The reopening of schools offers a chance to move the debate beyond another cycle of fee accusations. Three priorities now stand out for the Ministry and school boards.

First, parents need clarity. Schools must communicate openly which charges are authorized and which are not.

Second, capitation must be traceable. With Sh18.5 billion released for Term Three, schools should account for how their allocations are received and spent.

Third, audit findings require follow‑up. An audit report that flags unsupported expenditure or weak procurement is only the beginning. The real test is whether institutions correct the problems and recover funds where necessary.

The Ministry has previously verified school data to ensure capitation reaches genuine institutions and eligible learners. That same principle of verification now needs to extend to how schools actually spend the money once it arrives.

What parents need to watch closely

As schools settle into the third term, parents should watch closely for any new charges outside the approved fee structure. Where extra money is requested for projects or programmes, the key test is whether the levy has received official approval.

The government’s release of Sh18.5 billion this term is also a benchmark. By the end of the term, the public should see not only how much was disbursed, but how much reached individual schools, how it was spent, and whether the financial gaps flagged by the Auditor‑General are being addressed.

That is when Kenya’s school‑funding debate shifts from announcements to accountability.

Featured Article