NAIROBI, Kenya — Former Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i has strongly condemned the recent reduction in school capitation grants, calling the move “utterly outrageous” at a time when many families are already struggling.
In a post on social media, Matiang’i argued that slashing funding in a depressed economy undermines the basic right to education, warning that many parents may no longer afford to keep their children in school.
His remarks come amid growing concern over reported capitation cuts. Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi recently acknowledged that the government could no longer sustain the previously promised Sh 22,244 per student for secondary education, saying the actual disbursement had fallen to Sh 16,900.
School heads have sounded the alarm, warning that the shortfall is crippling operations. According to the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA), many institutions may soon struggle to pay teachers, maintain services, or avoid closing early.
Meanwhile, the government says the capitation reduction is a budgetary adjustment, not a reversal of free education policy.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba defended the cut, attributing it to fiscal pressure and rising student numbers, but reaffirmed that free basic education remains enshrined in law.
The controversy has reignited wider debates about the sustainability of Kenya’s free education model and how best to finance it in the face of growing demand and tight national budgets.
