Capitation grants are funds made available to all not-for-profit schools (government, community and faith-based schools) to help supplement running costs and improve the learning environment.

By providing reliable funding to primary and secondary schools, capitation grants are removing the burden of registration fees for learners and parents, reducing the cost of education and encouraging families to send their children – both girls and boys – to school. These investments also offer the opportunity for schools to develop appropriate and contextual inclusive initiatives.

By the end of the second phase of the Programme, we hope to have reached 4,300 primary schools and 30 secondary schools with at least one capitation grant.

Capitation grants are meant to:

  1. Increase school enrolment by compensating for the removal of registration fees in public schools, thereby reducing the financial burden on families;
  2. improve the quality of education by increasing the amount of resources available to the school, and providing reliable funding; and
  3. improve the coherence of the national education system for education delivery by binding schools and State structures more closely together.

Capitation grants have allowed schools to set their own priorities for development, and to respond to their own needs. By the end of the first phase of the GESS programme, 4,055 primary schools and 317 secondary schools across the country had benefitted from a capitation grant. Schools have invested in renovations to classrooms and other physical infrastructure, as well as learning materials and items that encourage the regular attendance of girls.

The Ministry of General Education and Instruction (MoGEI) provides funding to primary schools, whilst GESS funds secondary schools. GESS provides the platform for setting up the system and procedures for schools to qualify for capitation grants, process accountability, processing and transaction support to all capitation grants (both primary and secondary). Schools receive a set lump sum, plus an amount per child enrolled.

Eligible schools need to meet the following requirements to receive capitation grants:

  1. Submit enrolment data Schools’ Attendance and Monitoring System – SAMS – www.sssams.org
  2. Provide a daily update on the attendance of pupils on SAMS
  3. Have a School Governing Body in place to manage the funds. These are termed School Management Committees (SMCs) in primary schools and Boards of Governors (BoGs) in secondary schools and follow the same function as the traditional Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs).
  4. Make and submit a simple school development plan and budget to lay out how the school will spend their money. Templates are provided to schools.
  5. Open a school bank account.

For schools affected by conflict, some of these hurdles may be temporarily waived.

For further information on capitation grant eligibility, processes, requirements, or to make a comment, compliment or complaint, send an email to: info@gess-southsudan.org or call our hotline numbers:

  1. MTN +211 928 520 824
  2. Zain +211 917 647 891