KNUT Calls for Immediate Disbursement of Student Capitation
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has called on the Ministry of Education to release capitation funds to schools without delay for efficient operations.
Speaking on Sunday, April 27, the union’s Secretary General, Hesbon Otieno, mentioned that this would support the transition anticipated in the second term.
According to the SG, the second term is when Grade 9 students will select their senior secondary school pathways, thus making adequate funding crucial for a smooth transition.
He therefore urged the government to provide the capitation and outstanding balances from the first term prior to the reopening of schools, and not midway through the term or at the end.
“It is essential that the ministry provides the 30 percent that is supposed to be released in the second term. They should release it in a timely manner before the schools open, and if there are any outstanding balances from the first term, they should be released so that the schools begin on a positive note due to the transition,” he articulated.
“I understand that students are about to begin choosing the pathways they will follow in grade 10. Schools must be equipped to ensure that this process happens promptly so that there are no delays or frustrations for the heads of institutions and the school management. ”
Current Grade 9 students will be the inaugural senior secondary students under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) programme, and they will specialize in different pathways starting from Grade 10.
Per the new curriculum, three pathways are available—Arts and Sports, Social Sciences, and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)—with each student expected to select no more than two.
The pathways will be determined by both merit and the student’s preferences to initiate them on their desired career trajectories.
However, this has encountered challenges, as the ministry faced significant backlash after declaring that only STEM students would need to study mathematics, a subject that was mandatory in the 8-4-4 system.
The protest led the ministry to retract the directive and announce that some form of mathematics would also be introduced to students in the other two pathways.
On Friday, April 15, the Competency-Based Curriculum was renamed to Competency-Based Education (CBE) in a move aimed at streamlining learning pathways and making education more affordable, accessible, and relevant for students.
