Education CS Kaimenyi orders crackdown on schools violating fees rule

Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi has ordered that new fees guidelines and the ban on holiday tuition are enforced in all counties.

In a circular dated July 27, Prof Kaimenyi directed all county directors of education to ensure all secondary schools in their regions comply with the guidelines.

“You are expected to take appropriate actions on schools which are charging fees way above the recommended fees or which increased fees to the current ceiling without approval by the Cabinet Secretary,” he stated in the document.

The Education secretary said the new fees guidelines were published in a Gazette notice issued on March 10.

"With government capitation of Sh 12,870 for regular schools and Sh32,600 for special needs schools, the maximum payable fees by parents should be Sh 9,374 for day schools, Sh53,553 for boarding schools and Sh37,210 for special needs schools," he said.

He said schools were supposed to spread the fees in the three terms at the ratio of 50:30:20.

In another circular, also dated July 27, Prof Kaimenyi said his office is aware that holiday tuition was going on in some primary and secondary schools across the country despite a ban.

"You are required to ensure no schools, without exception, in your jurisdiction conduct holiday tuition," he stated.

He ordered the county education heads to notify the Director of Public Prosecutions of any school, public or private, that is conducting holiday tuition.

He said holiday tuition had been turned into a “commercial enterprise through which teachers earn illegal income”.