Principals warned on high fees

The Education ministry on Tuesday warned teachers against flouting the ban on school levies increase, saying it was setting up a team to review fees charged in public secondary schools.

It accused headteachers of abusing the school system by increasing levies and fees and locking out deserving students as a result.

Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang said school heads who defied the order would be held liable.

A circular was issued to schools last week freezing any fee increment and requiring schools to maintain the fees charged last year.

The high fees especially in national schools has made many qualified students miss their places in Form One.

Speaking at a meeting with the National Assembly’s Education committee, Dr Kipsang said the ministry was aware that some schools were charging up to Sh130,000 on new admissions.

“We are getting worried that public schools are being privatised and this must stop,” he said, as he also noted that fees charged in 2008 could not be maintained due to the rising cost of living.

The PS wrote to stakeholders on Monday asking them to send nominees to sit in the taskforce.

Speaking about the taskforce in Mombasa, Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi said the team to be formed next Monday would look into issues hindering low cost secondary education.

The taskforce, said Prof Kaimenyi, would review recommendations of previous teams like Dr Eddah Gachukia’s of 2007, whose theme was, “Low cost secondary education in Kenya”.

The minister made the remarks during the induction workshop of National Education Board members at a Kilifi hotel on Tuesday.

He noted that the committee would be expected to address the high cost of education and ways of addressing them as well identify the areas that were not implemented in two previous taskforces.