Education CS directs school heads to adhere to fees rules

Parents have expressed frustration over the Ministry of Education’s failure to implement a directive on school fees guidelines following reports that some institutions were charging more than the recommended amount.

The enraged parents have turned to social media to express their anger while some have sought the intervention of the ministry through letters.

Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i on Friday, while in Kirinyaga County, admitted that some schools were levying extra costs on parents beyond the approved government rates.

Schools are charging parents for teachers’ motivation fees, academic improvement, tea and hot water among other levies, some of which have already been catered for by the government.

Schools are required to seek the ministry’s approval before effecting any increase.

National Parents Association (NPA) chairman Nicholas Maiyo now wants the ministry to match its words with action in dealing with head teachers who ignore the guidelines.

“School heads should adhere to fees guidelines and those found flouting them should be punished,” Mr Maiyo told the Sunday Nation.

A guardian at Butere Girls’ High School in Kakamega County has written to Dr Matiang’i seeking his intervention over the issue.

“I am a guardian of a Form One student in the school. In January, all parents and guardians were called to a Form One orientation meeting at the school during which new school levies, in addition to the official amount, were imposed despite protests from parents and the payment deadline set for April 30, 2017,” said the letter from the guardian who requested not to be named.

FLEECING PARENTS
Here is a breakdown of the extra levies given to parents: BOM teachers Sh3,500, perimeter wall Sh6,000, improved menu Sh3,200, teachers’ motivation Sh10,000, trip Sh500 – totalling to Sh22,700.

This is in addition to Sh53,554 that the Ministry of Education has recommended to schools.

“Mr Secretary, on behalf of parents and guardians unable to raise their voices and as a citizen who wants to see the official Ministry of Education’s fees guidelines adhered to, I request your intervention and swift action to prevent the school administration from fleecing parents,” the letter read.

Another parent at Buru Buru Girls’ High School identified as Levi Kones also took to social media to express his frustration over the extra fees.

Mr Kones said his daughter was admitted to the school in January with the letter of offer showing that the yearly fees would amount to Sh53,554.

“Then Form One parents were to have an open day. We go there and they keep us all day with many stories and Bible verses on providing the best for our girls.

"Then the clincher comes. We are expected to make another payment amounting to Sh37,050. This apparently was the part of the “advice” alluded to in the first fees structure that would be given at the orientation meeting,” narrated Mr Kones.

Mr Kones has since appealed to the CS to intervene.

There are many other public schools which have increased their fees outside the recommended guidelines.

The fees structures for the different categories of public secondary schools indicate that the government pays a subsidy of Sh12,870 while parents pay Sh53,554 for those in boarding school.

THREAT TO LEARNING
Parents with children in special needs schools are required to pay Sh37,210.

Schools are required to spread the fees over three school terms at the ratio 50:30:20 and any variation must be approved by the Cabinet Secretary.

However, speaking at St Peter’s Gathuthi-Ini Secondary School in Kirinyaga, Dr Matiang’i said that access to education by children is being hampered by unregulated school levies.

“I call upon school managers to adhere to government school fees guidelines to ensure that our children are in school and not out,” Dr Matiang’i said, adding that county education officials should ensure schools adhere to the school fees guidelines.