By Mandere Onyinkwa
An outcry is spreading across Kenya following reports that the government recently released just KSh 95.25 per learner to cater for key classroom needs under Account 1.
In a circular dated April 23, 2026, the State Department for Basic Education confirmed the disbursement, stating, “The Government has released KSh 95.25 per learner for Account 1 which has been deposited into respective schools’ accounts.”
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The funds, drawn from the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS) data as of November 2024 and later verified by school heads and education officials, are intended to support basic learning materials.
However, the breakdown of the allocation has sparked concern across the education sector. Out of the KSh 95.25, only KSh 5 is earmarked for textbook maintenance, KSh 40 for exercise books, KSh 15 for teachers’ guides and reference materials, and KSh 35.25 for stationery.
The Ministry has directed that the funds be used “strictly as follows unless otherwise authorized,” leaving little flexibility for schools already grappling with rising costs.
A further KSh 93.08 per learner has been released under Account 2, also with strict conditions on its use.
The figures have raised serious questions about the sustainability of public education funding.
With the cost of basic supplies continuing to rise, school heads now face the challenge of stretching what many see as an impractically small allocation across entire terms.
The directive, sent to Regional, County, and Sub-County Directors of Education for onward transmission to headteachers, effectively shifts the burden of managing the shortfall to individual schools.
