New fees guidelines to hurt day scholars

The new fees structure gazetted recently by Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi is turning out to be a double-edged sword.

While it has tamed high schools that were charging astronomical sums of up to Sh120,000 per year, the directive is likely to undermine the free day secondary education programme introduced by former President Mwai Kibaki.

A circular issued by Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang says figures charged by boarding, day and special schools, as recommended by the Task Force on Secondary School Fees that was chaired by former assistant minister Kilemi Mwiria, have been raised by 31 per cent.

This means parents with children in day secondary schools will now pay more than they used to before the gazette notice.

While some day schools were charging illegal fees, parents taking their children to such institutions were not supposed to pay any money because the cost had been taken care of by the free education programme.

However, some schools had arrangements where a modest fee was charged to cater for lunch. This was the only cost they were supposed to bear.

Calls as well as short messages to Prof Kaimenyi and Dr Kipsang were not answered.

Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) secretary-general Akello Misori criticised the minister, saying he did not consult widely before issuing the directive.

“The CS should have subjected the matter to debate by stakeholders before issuing the gazette notice. It will be difficult to stop schools from charging higher fees, which is opening a new war front,” he said in a telephone interview.

Kenya National Parents Association secretary-general Musau Ndunda called for the withdrawal of the gazette notice to allow for further consultations.