Kenya’s secondary schools are currently facing a financial crisis, as outlined by the Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association. The amount required per student for tuition each year is KES 22,244. However, the government has only released KES 15,192 per student, resulting in a significant shortfall of KES 7,052. Additionally, the government has mandated schools to deposit KES 3,850 per student for infrastructure development. This leaves a balance of KES 11,342 per student for tuition and operations, creating a financial strain for many schools that are unable to meet their full budgetary requirements.

This funding gap may result in challenges for school administrations, including the inability to provide necessary learning materials, pay staff adequately, or maintain infrastructure, all of which could negatively impact the quality of education students receive. Schools are now left to figure out how to bridge the gap, either by seeking funds from parents or other sources. The situation has become critical, and stakeholders are calling for urgent government intervention to address the crisis and ensure that education standards do not deteriorate further.