1. Purpose and Scope

This Financial Policies and Procedures document establishes the financial management framework of the Divine Theological Training Institute (DTTI), Vihiga Main Branch, Vihiga County, Kenya. It applies to all income and expenditure across the Institute's branches at Vihiga Main, Mbale, Chavakali, Kaimosi, Kisumu and Kakamega; to all bank and mobile money accounts; to every employee who handles money or approves spending; to all fee transactions; and to the African Divine Church, donors and partners whose funds pass through DTTI accounts. The policy exists to protect the Institute's resources, to guarantee that every Kenyan Shilling is spent lawfully and transparently for educational and ministry purposes, and to assure students, sponsors, regulators and the Church that DTTI finances are managed with complete integrity.

2. Guiding Principles

All financial activity at DTTI is governed by stewardship, accountability, transparency and value for money. The Institute holds its resources in trust for its students, the sponsoring Church and the wider community. Finance staff operate under strict segregation of duties: no single officer may receive, record, bank and reconcile the same transaction. All practices conform to Kenyan law, including the Employment Act 2007, the principles of the Public Procurement and Disposal Act, and TVETA requirements.

3. Financial Planning and Budgeting

The Finance Officer, working under the Deputy Principal (Administration), prepares an annual budget covering tuition income, hostel and catering revenue, grants, church subventions and operating costs for every branch. The draft budget is reviewed by the Chief Principal and approved by the Institute Management Board before the start of each academic year. Budget holders may not commit expenditure beyond their approved allocations without the Chief Principal's prior written approval.

4. Fee Structure, Billing and Invoicing

The fee structure for every certificate, diploma and short course is approved by the Institute Management Board and published in Kenyan Shillings before each intake. The application fee is KES 1,000 and is non-refundable. Tuition is invoiced termly and covers registration, tuition, examinations and, where applicable, training materials and attachment supervision. Students experiencing hardship may apply, before the due date, for a written instalment plan administered by the Registrar's office. No student is admitted to classes, issued with an examination card or released results while a fee account remains uncleared without an approved plan.

5. Receipting and Cash Handling

Every payment to DTTI must be receipted immediately through a serial-numbered official receipt or a system-generated e-receipt bearing the student's name and admission number. Cash handling is minimised: the daily cash float at any branch may not exceed KES 20,000, and all takings above the float must be banked intact within one working day. A student must never pay fees into a staff member's personal account or personal M-Pesa line; any request to do so must be reported to the Finance Officer.

6. Payments, Procurement and Authorisation Limits

All procurement follows open, competitive and documented procedures consistent with the principles of the Public Procurement and Disposal Act, scaled to the size of the purchase:

• Purchases up to KES 100,000 may be made on a single documented quotation approved by the Deputy Principal (Administration).
• Purchases above KES 100,000 up to KES 500,000 require at least three written quotations and a comparison sheet.
• Purchases above KES 500,000 up to KES 2,000,000 are made through a formal tender administered by the Institute tender committee.
• Purchases above KES 2,000,000 require open tender and prior written approval of the Institute Management Board.

No officer may split a purchase into smaller amounts to avoid these thresholds, and no officer may approve a payment to themselves, a relative or a business in which they have an interest without declaring that interest in writing.

7. Bank and Mobile Money Management

Institute funds are held only in bank and mobile money accounts opened in the name of the Institute. Fees are paid by M-Pesa Paybill, bank deposit or bankers cheque payable to the Institute; the Paybill number and bank details are published on the fee structure and notice boards, and are the only authorised channels. All accounts require two signatories, normally the Chief Principal together with the Deputy Principal (Administration) or the Registrar, and statements are reconciled to cashbooks monthly by an officer who does not sign cheques.

8. Payroll and Staff Advances

Salaries are processed monthly with full compliance with statutory obligations, including PAYE, NSSF, SHIF and the Housing Levy, in accordance with the Employment Act 2007. Salary advances are limited to one-half of net monthly salary, require the Chief Principal's written approval, and are recovered in the following payroll. Allowances and per-diems are paid only against approved claim forms supported by duty documents.

9. Records, Reporting and Audit

All vouchers, receipts, bank statements, contracts and payroll records are retained for at least seven years in secure storage. The Finance Officer produces monthly management accounts for the Chief Principal and quarterly reports for the Institute Management Board and the African Divine Church. The accounts are audited annually by independent external auditors appointed by the Board, and audited statements are made available to TVETA and other regulators on request. Internal spot checks of branch cash and fee records are carried out each term without prior notice.

10. Refunds, Bursaries and Waivers

Where a student withdraws in writing before the third week of a term, tuition for that term is refunded less an administration charge of KES 2,000; after the third week no tuition refund is made for that term. Application fees, examination fees already remitted to KNEC, NITA or CDACC, and catering charges already consumed are not refundable. Vulnerable students and children of African Divine Church clergy may apply for bursaries from the Church benevolent fund, county bursary schemes or the National Government Constituency Development Fund, with the Registrar's assistance. Fee waivers may be granted only by the Chief Principal in writing and are recorded in the register of waivers.

11. Breaches and Review

Any suspicion of theft, fraud, misappropriation or falsification of records must be reported immediately to the Chief Principal, who will institute investigations and, where warranted, disciplinary action, recovery of funds and referral to the police. This policy is reviewed every two years, and immediately after any material change in Kenyan law, TVETA requirements or the Institute's financial systems.