The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has intensified calls for the government to urgently release the capitation funds for the third term of the 2024 academic year, warning that delays could disrupt learning across the country as schools prepare to reopen next week.

Addressing journalists on Sunday, August 17, KNUT Isiolo branch chairman, Timothy Kimathi Mbae, expressed growing concern among teachers regarding Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi’s earlier remarks suggesting that the government’s free basic education programme might no longer be financially sustainable.

According to Mbae, such statements not only sow fear and uncertainty among educators and parents but also threaten to undermine years of progress in expanding access to education for all Kenyan children.

“Education is a fundamental right, not a privilege,” Mbae declared. “If these funds are not released on time, the direct victims will be our children. Denying them the opportunity to learn could push an entire generation into hopelessness, forcing them into destructive habits and activities just to survive. Without education, many of them may turn to crime, substance abuse, or other unsavoury behaviours, ultimately weakening the very fabric of our society.”

Mbae urged the Treasury and the Ministry of Education to prioritize the release of capitation funds, stressing that the survival of Kenya’s free education programme was non-negotiable. He further joined fellow KNUT officials across the country in pressing the government to honour its commitment to universal access to education, a cornerstone of national development.

His concerns were triggered by Treasury CS John Mbadi’s testimony before the National Assembly’s Education Committee on July 24, during which he revealed that sustaining free primary and secondary education was becoming increasingly difficult due to financial constraints. Mbadi highlighted the growing number of learners in the system and the strain on public resources, which he argued made the current funding model unsustainable.

“Currently, learners in public primary schools are funded at a rate of Ksh1,420 per pupil for tuition and operations,” Mbadi explained. “For junior secondary schools, the allocation stands at Ksh15,042 per child, while in senior secondary, it is Ksh22,244. With the limited fiscal space and other competing national priorities, sustaining or increasing these allocations may not be viable shortly. Nonetheless, if revenue performance improves, the government will reconsider updating these rates.”

The remarks immediately sparked outrage among education stakeholders, parents, and civil society groups, who interpreted them as a sign that the government might roll back on its promise of free education.

Critics warned that such a move would disproportionately affect children from poor and marginalized backgrounds, who rely on capitation funds to cover essential school operations, teaching resources, and student welfare.

The controversy deepened just days later when President William Ruto was forced to clarify the government’s position following allegations from his former deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, who accused him of diverting education funds.

Speaking on July 27, Ruto dismissed fears that free education was under threat, assuring Kenyans that his administration remained fully committed to ensuring all children had access to quality learning.

“Free primary and secondary education is a constitutional right, and as a government, we remain fully committed to protecting it,” Ruto stated firmly. “For the past two years, we have implemented several programmes designed to strengthen the education sector and ensure that every child, regardless of background, can go to school. Education is the single most powerful tool of empowerment, and that is why it must be affordable, accessible, high-quality, and relevant.”

The ongoing debate underscores the growing tension between Kenya’s ambitious education agenda and the country’s fiscal realities. While the government has consistently championed free basic education since its introduction in 2003, rising enrolment numbers, inflation, and competing demands for public funds have stretched the programme’s sustainability.

For KNUT and other education stakeholders, however, the government’s promise of free and compulsory education must not waver. They argue that pulling back now would undo decades of progress, widen inequality, and jeopardize the future of millions of young Kenyans.

As Mbae summed up in his Sunday address, “The release of capitation funds is not a matter of convenience for the Treasury, it is a matter of survival for our children and the future of this country.”

With schools set to reopen in just a few days, attention now shifts to the National Treasury and the Ministry of Education to see whether the much-needed funds will be disbursed in time to avert a crisis in Kenya’s classrooms.