The Ministry of Education has confirmed disbursing Sh22.4 billion to public primary and secondary schools during the current school term to cater for free basic education.
Of the amount, Sh16.1 billion is for the Free Day Secondary Education (FDSE) programme, catering for 2,496,735 learners in 8,361 public secondary schools.
A statement from the ministry said some Sh6.3 billion is for the Free Primary Education (FPE) programme, catering for 8,879,685 learners in 21,953 public primary schools across the country.
The total amount per student under the FDSE is 6,435.00 which constitute 50% capitation each student in public secondary schools is entitled to.
The ministry has also send Sh499, 347,000 to Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technology in Africa (CEMASTEA) for Strengthening of Mathematics and Science Education (SMASE).
The money, the statement added, was drawn from FDSE funds where Sh200 was deducted from each student to cater for capacity building of Maths and science teachers under SMASE at CEMASTEA.
The Free Primary and Free Day Secondary Education is part of government strategy to increase universal access to basic education in line with National Educational goals and Unesco instruments and conventions on education.
The interventions have led to massive increase in enrolment of children in basic education since its introduction in 2003 for FPE and FDSE in 2008.
--mygov.go.ke