The Kenyan government caps primary school capitation at KSh 1,400 per learner annually. National Treasury disburses these funds to the Ministry of Education each term in a ratio of 50:30:20, meaning the first term receives the largest share.
The Ministry calculates each tranche against defined expenditure lines — known as vote heads — that reflect the estimated cost of educating a single child. When funds arrive from Treasury, the Ministry issues a circular that breaks down exactly how schools must allocate every shilling.
What the Latest Circular Says
On 23 April 2026, Principal Secretary Prof. Julius K. Bitok signed a circular covering the second-term disbursement. It covers two separate school accounts.
Account 1, labelled SIMBA, releases KSh 95.25 per learner for learning materials:
| Item | Amount (KSh) |
|---|---|
| Textbooks Maintenance | 5.00 |
| Exercise Books | 40.00 |
| Teachers’ Guides and Reference Materials | 15.00 |
| Stationery | 35.25 |
| Total | 95.25 |
Account 2 releases KSh 93.08 per learner for school operations:
| Item | Amount (KSh) |
|---|---|
| Support Staff Wages | 20.00 |
| Renovation, Maintenance and Improvement of Physical Facilities | 23.00 |
| Activity | 10.00 |
| Local Transport and Travelling | 3.00 |
| Electricity, Water and Conservancy | 8.00 |
| Telephone/Box Rental/Postage | 3.00 |
| Environment and Sanitation | 5.00 |
| Capacity Building and Meetings | 10.00 |
| Contingencies | 2.00 |
| Science and Applied Technology | 2.00 |
| Assessments and Examinations | 7.08 |
| Total | 93.08 |
Schools must acknowledge receipt through the NEMIS platform and table the budget at a Board of Management meeting before spending any funds. Any school that receives more than its correct allocation must notify the Principal Secretary through its Sub-County Director of Education (SCDE) to initiate recovery.
A 58 Percent Increase That Still Falls Short
In December 2025, the government announced it would raise primary school capitation by 58 percent, lifting the per-pupil allocation to KSh 2,238. The adjustment follows recommendations from the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms, which President William Ruto established to align funding with the demands of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
Education experts welcomed the direction but questioned the pace. Critics argued the increase should have come sooner, pointing out that inflation had already eroded the purchasing power of the previous allocation. Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi told Parliament that disbursement delays persist because the budgeted amount consistently falls below what schools actually need.
The funding debate extends beyond primary schools. Parents of children in day secondary schools now face an additional annual charge of KSh 9,374, raising total capitation per secondary learner to KSh 22,244, according to the Ministry’s Guidelines for the Implementation of Senior School Education 2025. Those guidelines reference a 2015 Gazette notice that pegged government capitation at KSh 12,870. Under the free secondary education programme introduced in 2018, parents contributed roughly KSh 5,000 per term for meals, uniforms, and personal items.
Parliament Moves Against Compulsory Uniform Sourcing
A separate but related debate is gathering momentum in the National Assembly. A motion sponsored by Nyeri Town MP Duncan Mathenge proposes regulations that would require schools to allow parents to buy uniforms from any vendor, provided the items meet the school’s stated standards. The proposal directly targets the practice of forcing parents to purchase uniforms from designated suppliers at inflated prices.
“Certain administrative practices in schools, particularly compulsory sourcing of uniforms from designated outlets, are impeding students from learning,” Mathenge told the House.
The motion draws on Articles 53 and 43 of the Constitution, which guarantee every child the right to free and compulsory basic education and establish the principle that children’s best interests must guide policy decisions.
Naivasha MP Jayne Kihara added a sharper edge to the debate: “The education sector is collapsing. The Ministry of Education is not acting, and parents are suffering economically.”
The proposed regulations also seek to ban schools from sending learners home over unpaid non-statutory fees — charges for feeding programmes, remedial classes, and sports activities. Funyula MP Gideon Ochanda underlined the human cost of inconsistent enforcement across schools. “Each school is busy doing its own thing, and as they do so, those who are suffering are the children. Students are being sent home over such matters as food, sports and other matters.”
The motion tasks the Education Cabinet Secretary, working with the Teachers Service Commission, to develop a comprehensive regulatory and enforcement framework within 90 days of adoption.
