Kenya, July 27 -- Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has accused education officials of misusing up to Sh2 billion that was meant for schools. He promised to use technology to stop this theft.
Mudavadi said it is time to change how school funding is managed. He believes that using a digital system will help make things clearer and more responsible when it comes to money for schools.
"We have heard troubling reports that some of the money for schools has been stolen, with estimates showing losses of up to Sh2 billion. This must stop," said Mudavadi.
The new system has been created by the Ministry of Education with help from the Ministry of Information, Communication, and the Digital Economy. It will keep track of money all the way to the schools.
"Every education official will have to be responsible. We are setting up systems to track every single coin given to schools," Mudavadi explained.
He pointed out that some people in the education sector do not want to switch to this digital system because they want to keep their illegal profits.
"When the President said, 'Let's digitise capitation,' some people began to complain. They like the old manual system so they can keep taking money that should go to our children. We will not allow this," Mudavadi stated.
The government believes that with the new digital system on the national eCitizen platform, they can close gaps that allow misuse and help the public trust how education money is spent. The system will let people see where the money goes and create a clear record of all transactions.
"There will be no room for misuse under this new digital system. We are serious about protecting public money and the future of our children," Mudavadi said.
Capitation funds are given to schools in three parts: 50% in the first term, 30% in the second term, and the last 20% in the third term. These funds are for tuition, building infrastructure, and taking care of students' needs.
However, because of weak supervision in the old manual system, a lot of money has been lost or misused, leaving schools short of funds and students without proper support.
"This is not just about technology. It's about trust, service, and protecting our children's future," Mudavadi added.
These changes come as the government prepares a Sh600 billion budget for education for the next financial year. Mudavadi emphasized that every shilling must be tracked and used for its proper purpose.
"We want to check where all the education money goes, what it supports, and how we can use it better for our children," he concluded.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Bana Kenya.