Saboti Constituency Member of Parliament, Caleb Amisi has hit out at the ruling Kenya Kwanza administration for reducing students capitation fee from Ksh 22,000 to Ksh 16,900.
Speaking to the press in Kitale on Friday 25 July, 2025 after handing over Ksh 71 million cheques to principals, Amisi said the government is determined to ruin Kenya’s education system.
Impact of reduced capitation for public schools
The fearless second-term lawmaker said the decision to reduce the capitation fee will force many needy students to drop out of school.
“This morning, the principals are crying, the schools are going to be highly affected by the abrupt policy on the capitation fee. We want to urge the government that you can play with any other institution but you can never dangle and joke around with the education system of this country,” the lawmaker said.
Treasury Cabinet Secretary CPA John Mbadi on Thursday, July 24, 2025, announced that the government would reduce capitation per student during to financial constraints.
The move might likely forced schools to pass the burden of raising the deficit to parents.
Meanwhile, Amisi appealed to the Senators to approve the Constitution Amendment Bill 2025 that seeks to entrench the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF), National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NG-AAF) and the Senate Oversight Fund in the Constitution of Kenya.
“We are telling the Senator, those who normally call the Senate to tell them how to vote including our Baba Raila Odinga and President William Ruto, if CDF fails at the Senate, Kenyans will hold them accountable,” added the vocal critic of Broad-based government arrangement.
Is free primary school education still in Kenya?
On his part, Trans Nzoia Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association Chairperson, Charles Ong’ayo said the government should come out clean and make it official that there is no free primary and secondary education.
“Our government is almost failing because the remittance of capitation has been reduced and they have also made the parents feel that since the government is paying capitation, parents need not to pay,” said Ong’ayo calling for honesty in implementation of free education.
Ong’ayo who is also the Principal of Soil Conservation Secondary school challenged parents to pay school fees for their children.
15,000 students studying in different secondary schools and tertiary institutions benefitted from the NG-CDF bursary.
Over 9,000 who are part of over 26,000 applicants will benefit from the second phase of the bursary.
