NAIROBI, Kenya — Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has dismissed reports suggesting a reduction in school capitation funds, urging Members of Parliament and stakeholders to engage in fact-based discussions on education financing.
Speaking during a public engagement on Monday, Ogamba clarified that the Ministry of Education has neither proposed nor implemented any cuts to the current capitation rate of KSh 22,000 per learner.
“Nobody has ever said that we are reducing the money from KSh.22,000 to KSh.16,000. I don’t know where that came from,” Ogamba said. “Even my colleague never said anything close to that.”
The CS warned against misinformation, saying inaccurate claims could incite unnecessary public anxiety and distract from genuine efforts to improve the education sector.
Focus on Solutions, Not Politics
Ogamba urged leaders to shift focus from political posturing to constructive dialogue on education funding.
He emphasized the need to explore new financing avenues and support the Ministry’s efforts to strengthen the education system.
“We are all in this together,” he said. “The education sector deserves and will continue to receive the support it requires. Budget-making is a matter of balancing available resources across ministries.”
He reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring smooth learner transitions and equal access to education, promising that no student would be left behind due to budgetary constraints.
Ogamba also pointed to the critical role of MPs, county governments, and development partners in enhancing education infrastructure and service delivery.
“Our education system is strong, and we are not going to fail,” he added. “The children will be in class, transition will happen, and any challenges will be addressed, whether through supplementary budgets or other measures.”
MPs Urged to Stop Politicizing Education
Kajiado South MP Parashina Samuel echoed the CS’s sentiments, criticizing her fellow lawmakers for politicizing school capitation.
“This is not the time to mislead the public,” she said. “We must stop using capitation to score political points. Our children’s education is at stake, and we must protect it by telling the truth and supporting the government’s efforts.”
Ogamba concluded by calling on all education stakeholders to remain focused on solutions, not speculation, and to rally behind the Ministry’s mission to deliver quality education for every Kenyan child.
