The cost of education has been recognized by UNESCO as one of the biggest impediments to access to education. It has continued to fuel the widening gap between the rich and the poor. Private citizens and entities have stepped in to cover the deficit in educational financing through scholarships, bursaries and sponsorships. Equity’s Wings to Fly and Kenya Airlift Program are just a few successful examples with impactful outcomes that have shaped the educational landscape in Kenya.
However, this is a drop in the ocean given thousands are still locked out of school. For thousands of households in Kenya, education is not a hobby nor is it a luxury. It is a lifeline and their lives, their hopes and imaginations depend on it. It is a bridge to a better future not necessarily of riches but a comfortable life. The 100 per cent transition policy the government advocates for remains a mirage. This is because the ever-rising financial obligations will continue to lock thousands of students from accessing secondary education.
As it is now, education in Kenya is for the select few, the middleclass and the rich, who can afford to finance it out of their scarcity and plenty respectively. The poor are left to fend for themselves, and with the dwindling economic prospects, fate will have their children out of school soon if at all they will resume this coming term. In the current financial year, education sector accounts for 16.48% of the total national budget. The government and educational stakeholders need to rethink their latest move and particularly increase its allocation to secondary school education. This will accelerate and make realistic the journey to a 100 per cent transition to secondary schools.
Increasing financing means more schools will be built, more teachers employed, and more teaching and learning materials availed hence guaranteeing easy access to education even in far-flung areas. According to Nemis, the government of Kenya has been disbursing a capitation grant of Kes22,444 per student. On the other hand, those with special needs have been receiving Kes 58,807. This arrangement has been a reprieve to many households. Amid the hard economic times, inflation, failed harvest and the COVID pandemic the government and educational stakeholders should streamline and fast-track the disbursement process of the capitation grant.
The government should consider adopting the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms (PWPER) recommendations on increasing the capitation as part of the much-needed reforms in education financing. This move will be significant in increasing the enrolment and retention of learners in school. In any case, it is the responsibility of the government to guarantee access to education for all as enshrined in the Universal basic human right charter which Kenya is a party.
Fix up education financing, bolster 100pc transition | Nation