Activists plan demo to push for lower school fees

The Elimu Yetu Coalition (EYC) will today march to Parliament buildings to push for immediate implementation of the proposed school fees report.

EYC members want MPs to “address themselves to the content of the school fees report and take necessary measures to ensure it is implemented”. They also want the lawmakers to push Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi to release relevant circulars based on the report.

“We are disturbed that the relevant people have all of a sudden gone quiet on the report that has already been presented to President Uhuru Kenyatta. These proposals are good and we want parents to pay revised fees in January,” said EYC Co-ordinator Janet Muthoni.

Speaking to The Standard yesterday, Ms Muthoni said parents would not allow the Education ministry to “dump the report on the shelves to gather dust” like previous ones.

Unnecessary levies

“Prof Kaimenyi is quiet and MPs have not even spoken about it yet schools are closed and January is fast approaching. The march starts tomorrow (today),” said Muthoni.

Last week, the Kenya National Parents and Teachers Association (KNPTA) asked Kaimenyi to stop further increase of fees by school boards through new circulars.

KNPTA Chairman Nathan Barasa said parents had read the report and noted that they would not pay higher fees next year.

“As we speak, some schools are still hiking fees and imposing unnecessary levies on parents. We want this stopped and fresh instructions issued as plans are made to implement new guidelines,” said Muthoni.

In a letter to Kaimenyi, EYC said some proposals in the fees report could be implemented immediately before next year’s budgetary allocation in June.

“We cannot wait any further. The report says one of the options only requires Sh3 billion to roll out new fees in January. This is possible and we want MPs and ministry officials to work it out,” said Muthoni.

The education task force report on secondary school fees proposes two funding options.

If parents meet the boarding costs, including meals, and the Government pays for teaching and learning materials and other related costs, boarding schools will charge a maximum Sh38,969 annually. Day schools will charge a maximum of Sh11,105 annually. The additional funding required here is Sh10 billion.

If the State meets the costs of teaching and learning materials, and related operational costs plus lunch, the report says secondary school education shall be “completely free”.