Parents kept waiting for fees relief

The government is yet to implement the increased capitation grants for secondary school students, two months after it ordered head teachers to stick to 2013 fees.

Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi sent a circular to county directors, sub-county education officers and public secondary school principals on December 18 warning against increasing fees, saying the government had increased the capitation grant per student from Sh10,265 to Sh12,870.

However, a check by the Daily Nation established that schools had not received instructions to reduce fees.

“We are waiting for an official circular from the ministry on capitation and as soon as we receive it, the fees will go down,” said Nakuru Boys High School principal Paul Kibet while addressing parents at the school on Saturday.

WALK THE TALK

The school is owed more than Sh13 million in fees and Form Four candidates account for more than Sh6 million of this amount.

“Education Cabinet Secretary Prof Kaimenyi should walk the talk because we are burdened by the high fees at national schools,” said Mrs Florence Muchiri, a parent.

The government is yet to come up with new fees for public schools despite recommendations of a report by a taskforce led by former Assistant Minister for Education Kilemi Mwiria.

According to the report, day schools should charge a maximum of Sh11,105, boarding schools Sh38,969 and special schools Sh22,380.

The taskforce also recommended a subsidy of Sh12,870 for secondary schools and Sh32,600 for special schools.

However, schools charge different fees, with some national ones charging as much as Sh100,000 while public schools charge between Sh50,000 and Sh75,000.

The Jubilee administration has pledged to scrap secondary school fees but parents are still waiting for this promise to be met.