700 head teachers in Kenya guilty of fees hike

About 700 school heads are guilty of violating the Government guidelines on fees for public secondary schools.

The offending head teachers were exposed during an audit by the Education ministry on schools’ fees structures after public uproar over exorbitant fee demands.

Pupils of Nyamachaki Primary School in Nyeri move a cupboard to another classroom after the start of a new academic year on Monday. (PHOTO: KIBATA KIHU/ STANDARD)

Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i reportedly told a meeting of head teachers and representatives of teachers unions that a survey conducted on Monday had found between seven and 10 per cent of secondary schools had exceeded the stipulated rates.

There are about 7,000 secondary schools across the country. "The CS came with the data and said he was going to take action in consultation with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC)," said a source who attended the meeting.

But the head teachers were spared the sack following a plea from Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) and Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) officials.

"The unions pledged it was time for reconciliation towards resolving the fees impasse," said the source who sought anonymity to divulge details of the two-hour meeting.

Dr Matiang'i and TSC Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia had on Monday warned principals charging excessive fees of dire consequences.

"Appropriate action will be taken on those who do not comply with the code of regulations for teachers," Ms Macharia had said.

Yesterday, participants at the meeting who included representatives of Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (Kessha) resolved that all schools obey the fees ceilings.

The Government directive requires all boarding schools to charge a maximum of Sh53,553 per year, Sh9,374 for day schools and Sh32,385 for special schools.

No parent should pay more than this as the Government provides a subsidy of Sh12,870 per student and Sh32,600 per student in special schools.

And schools that must increase fees this year will have to seek the personal clearance of the Education cabinet secretary.

"All schools must agree to the gazetted fee guidelines. We are telling parents and students to report to schools and learning should run normally," said Knut Secretary General Wilson Sossion.

Kessha National Chairman John Awiti also asked all principals to strictly implement the fee guidelines.

"We have resolved that Boards of Management (BoMs) must respect fees guidelines as expected by the ministry. All principals must advise their boards to stick to the fees structure," said Awiti.

He said "any other issues touching on fees will now be handled on an individual school basis by the cabinet secretary himself".

It, however, emerged that the fees reprieve for parents would only last during this year as another review of the current fee guidelines will commence next month.

"We have agreed that there is need to re-look at the fees guidelines and the process will kick off in February," said Sossion.

He said as schools expand to increase admission, certain projects were initiated to take in more learners and must be completed.

"Some of the ongoing projects were started on bank loans. Some were started in the best interest of the schools through funds generated through the formal Government meetings. They must be completed," said Sossion.

He said the meeting chaired by Matiang'i resolved that the process of reviewing the current fees guidelines be completed by June, this year, to accommodate pressing and urgent issues.

"By the time schools open for third term this year, the 2017/2018 school fees guidelines should have been gazetted and made available for schools' annual general meetings to plan with," said Sossion.

"Parents shall get the revised fees guidelines before Christmas to avoid confusion next year when schools open for first term," said Sossion

"The revised fees guidelines shall be operational for two years after which they shall be reviewed," he said.

Matiang'i also asked parents whose students have been turned away for not paying higher fees to report such cases to education officials.

Kuppet Secretary General Akelo Misori yesterday said the much-hyped fees increment was just a storm in a teacup.

"Seven per cent is so small an issue that cannot make schools panic. And these schools that increased fees followed the due process. It was not a single person's decision," said Misori.

Awiti said the fruitful meeting with education senior officials agreed that certain oversights not captured under the current fees standards would be addressed in due course.

"We have been assured the pending issues are going to be discussed as soon as practically possible. Any other issues will be individually handled by the CS," said Awiti