Parliament has passed a motion to significantly increase the capitation fee for students in the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) in Kenya. The motion, led by Gatanga MP Edward Muriu, has been approved, raising the capitation fee from Ksh1,400 to Ksh7,760 per student.
This decision aims to alleviate the financial burden on parents of CBC learners, who have been facing challenges with the expenses associated with the new curriculum. It comes as a relief for many parents struggling to cope with the costs.
National Assembly Deputy Speaker Gladys Boss Shollei highlighted that this move is expected to help parents cope with the rising cost of living. In addition to increasing the capitation fee, lawmakers have also approved a motion allowing parents of primary and junior secondary school students to apply for bursaries provided by the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF).
“This house resolves that the government revises the capitation per student in primary school from the current Ksh1,420 per year to at least Ksh7,760 being the minimum optimal capitation factoring the new CBC education system and the prevailing high cost of living,’’ Shollei said.
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The motion extends the NG-CDF’s education bursary scheme to support learners in primary and junior secondary schools in meeting the requirements of the CBC. It further proposes that NG-CDF boards in all constituencies allocate more funds to support the school feeding program and other learner-centric activities.
Edward Muriu’s bill indicated that learning in primary and junior secondary schools is not entirely free, given the increased costs associated with the CBC. Since the introduction of the CBC curriculum during former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration, parents have expressed concerns about hidden costs linked to the curriculum’s experimental-based learning approach.
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In June of this year, the government allocated Sh24 billion to public schools to address their financial challenges, which had caused delays in several programs at these institutions. The Education Cabinet Secretary, Ezekiel Machogu, specified that Ksh15.6 billion was designated for Free Day Secondary Schools, Ksh4.6 billion for Free Primary Education, and Ksh3.8 billion for Junior Secondary School capitation.
