Education Minister Mutula Kilonzo has said his ministry has received funding for this year's first term of free day secondary education. The Education minister said the Ministry has received Sh9, 872,285,454 from Treasury which constitutes 50 per cent of the entire total allocation of the programme for this year which will provide Sh 10, 265 for each child.

The funds are expected to benefit a total of 1,923,089 learners in 6, 654 public secondary schools across the country.

"As you are aware, Chapter 4 Article 53(b) of the Constitution now obligates the state to provide free and compulsory education. This is in line with the Free Primary and Free Day Secondary Education Programmes that the Government introduced in 2003 and 2008 respectively, is a step towards partly fulfilling this Constitutional obligation. The subsidy is meant to ease the burden parents bear in providing education to their children." Kilonzo said.

The Education minister warned schools against levying fees on parents without any regard for the guidelines stipulated by the ministry as this will be in violation of the Basic Education Act 2012. He advised School Boards of Management to adhere to the law.

Kilonzo said his ministry is financing other educational programmes. Aside from the free day secondary education, the ministry has disbursed a total of Sh49.93 million to support needy public schools in "pockets of poverty." A total of 156 are expected to receive Sh320,064 each.

The ministry has also received Sh30 million which will go towards two needy schools in Arid and Semi-Arid regions. The Education Minister has asked parents and communities to report any cases of misuse of funds