Schools Panic As Headteachers Announce Closure

With only a few weeks to go, preparations for this year’s primary and secondary school-leaving examinations are hanging in the balance as the government is yet to release capitation balances.

We might have an early closure of schools, starting Monday, March 15 as announced by the school heads due to lack of funds as Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) national examinations draw close.

The purchase of examination material was faced with challenges as the government was yet to release the expected 15 million shillings education funds according to headteachers.

Both primary and secondary schools are supposed to close by Friday, March 19 to pave way for candidates to sit the national examinations. Headteachers warned that the schools might close before then since they do not have funds to keep learners in schools until then.

Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association chairman Kahi Indimuli said that they have not received the money and principals who have spoken with him said they will start closing schools as early as today if the money is not sent to their accounts.

He added that most of the school heads that have spoken with him said they are not able to keep the children in schools any longer. The government promised to release the final tranche of 25 percent by the end of February and they are still waiting.

George Magoha, the Cabinet Secretary for Education had earlier said that the education funds would be released to all schools/ accounts by the end of last week. However, the money is yet to be received, which poses a huge challenge in preparations for the national examinations.

“We shall release the money next week to schools and therefore no one should try to cause panic or anxiety,” assured Magoha on Thursday, March 11.

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KCPE examinations are set to begin March 22 and run through to March 24 with 1,066,986 candidates expected to sit the examinations.

KCSE examinations are set to begin on March 25 and run for three weeks and three days. 699,745 candidates are expected to sit the national exam.

Some of the expected government funds are meant for the purchase of materials needed in the KCSE practical exams and delays in the release of funds will have a negative impact on the candidates.

The exams were moved from the traditional October/November period to March/April after lengthy school closures to mitigate the spread of Covid-19.