The government has announced a significant boost to learner capitation funding, with the increase set to take effect from July 2026.
Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok made the announcement on Monday, May 5, 2026, while addressing a stakeholders’ gathering focused on the state of education in the country. Speaking at the press briefing, Bitok revealed that the annual funding allocation per child will jump from Ksh1,420 to Ksh2,340, a move he framed as a direct presidential directive aimed at strengthening support for learners across the country.
“We have already provided money for capitation. The president directed that we increase capitation from Ksh1,420 to Ksh2,340 starting next financial year,” Bitok said.
Bitok made clear that the funding boost directly targets the long-standing financial challenges facing public schools, where inadequate capitation has for years left school administrators struggling to cover basic operational costs and learning materials.
The increase follows a presidential directive to adjust capitation rates to better reflect the actual needs of learners heading into the next financial year. Bitok left no room for ambiguity about his intentions, signaling that he will follow the directive without deviation.
“For me, from where I sit, I’m going to implement that directive to the letter,” Bitok said.
Bitok also pledged a new standard for how and when the funds actually reach schools, committing to a clean break from the chronic delays that have long frustrated school administrators, teachers, and parents alike.
“For a long time, capitation was going up to the middle of the term. Capitation is going almost towards the end of the term. But for the last two terms and going forward, capitation will be getting to school at least three days before schools open. That is our commitment,” Bitok said.
The announcement lands against a backdrop of sustained frustration from parents, teachers, and education stakeholders who have repeatedly complained that capitation funds arrive too late and stretch too thin to meet the real demands of running a school.
Bitok’s commitment follows a major policy shift announced days earlier by President William Ruto, who declared that the government will now release capitation funds to schools before the start of each term.
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