Education CS Fred Matiang'i bans paying school fees through M-Pesa

Homa Bay County Education Chief Officer Eunice Owino, Education CS Fred Matiang’i and County Executive for Education Naphtali Mattah at Homa Bay Primary School, yesterday. [Photo:JAMES OMORO/STANDARD]

The Government has prohibited use of M-Pesa in paying school fees. Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i banned parents from making any fees payments via the mobile money transfer.

He said this is aimed at combating corruption in schools, for instance, in cases where parents pay huge sums of money, but is not receipted.

“We don’t want any parent to pay school fees via M-Pesa. I am also directing principals not to allow any parent to do the same because this is a way of condoning corruption,” said Dr Matiang’i.

He directed parents to ensure they are given receipts for any payment. He said this will help reveal principals who have hiked school fees.

The CS expressed concern that corruption in fee payment among some principals had financially drained parents.

“There are issues concerning accountability of funds directly transferred to public secondary and primary schools,” he said.

He said the ministry is working with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to help in auditing of school books of accounts. This, he said, would prevent school heads from compromising auditors to cover up financial misappropriation.

Insincere heads

The CS also revealed that a number of school heads were insincere with the manner in which they were handling capitation fees they are accorded by the Government.

Speaking at Homa Bay High school during this year’s Education Day, the CS pledged to make public the free education funds every secondary school student receives for parents to know the difference they should top up.

He also urged the provincial administration to work closely with ministry officials to help improve standards of education.

The CS told principals not to register students without a letter from the sub-county Director of Education. He said the letter will help determine the conduct of students newly admitted to avoid cases of transferring problems from one school to another.

“We don’t want a student who has burnt a school to move to another school before being cleared from the previous one hence the letter is mandatory,” said Matiang’i.

Homa Bay Governor Cyprian Awiti applauded Dr Matiang’i for instilling stringent regulations, which he said would enhance success in the education sector.

Kabondo Kasipul MP Silvance Osele called on the CS to ensure teachers who have had TSC numbers for more than 15 are recruited.