Team seeks freeze on new schools

A task force has recommended a freeze on establishment of new secondary schools, pending guidelines on this.

However, marginalised areas should be exempted as they have fewer schools than other parts of the country, says the task force on secondary school fees.

The team says in its report that the establishment of new secondary schools should be controlled while taking into account regional population densities and demand.
EMPLOY TEACHERS

The team blames an uncontrolled expansion of existing schools and mushrooming of new ones for the acute shortage of teachers.

“As a result, boards of management have continued to employ teachers, a cost that is met by parents,” said the team.

Teachers employed by the school boards and whose remunerations is shouldered directly by parents is at 37 per cent, nationally, the task force says.

The many boards of management teachers and non-academic staff has partly contributed to the high fees in public secondary schools, it says.

The team proposes a basic minimum number of non-academic staff to be hired.

“Schools should only employ essential and skilled non-teaching staff on permanent and pensionable basis and who can multi-task and establish a scheme of service for non-teaching staff.”

It wants schools to have a minimum enrolment of 180 students.

The team also wants the government to review secondary school costs after every two years to take into account inflation and other economic trends.
It says the government should meet the full cost of teaching materials and critical running costs as parents shoulder food, uniforms and boarding costs.

SPECIAL SCHOOLS

The task force has recommended that students in day schools pay Sh11,103; those in boarding schools, Sh38,969 and learners in special schools, Sh22,830.

“The ministry of education should put in place clear enforcement mechanisms for any charges such as gazettment and other sanctions for defaulters,” it says. Schools fees was last reviewed more than 10 years ago.

Another key proposal is that government develops a policy to co-ordinate infrastructure development in all schools in terms of demand, design and costs.
A standard design should therefore be developed for all future schools, the team says.

The group was headed by former education assistant minister Dr Kilemi Mwiria. It will hand in their report to President Uhuru Kenyatta soon.