Over 6,200 schools in Kenya face financial paralysis ahead of national exams as the Ministry of Education withholds capitation pending audit verification.
A massive Ministry of Education audit has stalled funding for thousands of Kenyan schools just weeks before the 2025 national examinations. The verification process, aimed at eliminating inflated enrollment records, has left more than 6,200 schools stranded without government capitation.
According to Education Principal Secretary Prof. Julius Bitok, 25,800 of the 32,000 institutions have already been verified, unlocking over Sh16 billion of the Sh23 billion released by Treasury. However, schools with errors in submitted data remain unfunded. About 3,485 primary schools and 1,949 secondary schools risk losing their allocations after submitting wrong account details, incomplete templates, or ghost enrollment figures.
The audit, while critical in safeguarding public funds, has disrupted operations at schools with large student populations. “Exams are here, but we haven’t received capitation. Managing debts, feeding learners, and buying exam materials is almost impossible,” a Bungoma principal lamented.
Education stakeholders argue that the timing of the audit, coinciding with the peak of exam preparation, has worsened the financial strain on schools. With rehearsals scheduled for mid-October and exams set to start on October 21, principals warn that thousands of candidates risk being disadvantaged if the funding impasse is not resolved immediately.
