Government told to pay fees arrears

Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association chairman John Awiti addresses the Press at KESSHA offices in Nairobi Wednesday  where he told the Government to pay at least half of fees arrears. [PHOTO: GOVEDI ASUTSA/STANDARD]

Secondary school principals have asked the Government to make good their promise to send money to schools as they release academic certificates being withheld because of fees arrears.

Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (Kessha) officials Wednesday said the Government should at least disburse half of the money owed to schools.

"We are facing serious crisis in schools and soon we shall see some of our colleagues taken to courts and school property attached by auctioneers," said Kessha national chairman John Awiti.

He said the schools' capitation has also not been disbursed, complicating an already awkward situation. He, however, said school heads cannot ignore the directive and asked them to comply.

"They have already received letters to that effect but we ask the State to release the money," he said.

The total amount owed to schools has been put at Sh14 billion but secondary school heads are yet to conduct an audit of all the schools to ascertain the exact figure.

Kessha officials yesterday said there are certificates held in schools dating back to the 60s.

"Let them tell us how far back we should go because they date back into time," said Awiti.

He said the money owed to schools is not exclusively for school fees, adding that there are other factors that led to withholding of certificates.

"Some of the students stole books in the library, others also broke certain items in schools and others were also unruly and destroyed several things," he said.

Meanwhile, the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) has warned of dire consequences if the Government fails to clear the debt owed to schools, saying the Government gave a raw directive with no clear direction on how non-payment of school fees can be addressed by the heads of institutions.

Kuppet Secretary General Akello Misori said the directive to release certificates is likely to cripple schools administration.

"The circular issued by the Government has no reference to who should be responsible for the payment of school fees. It has no rider to cushion school heads. Let Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi call a stakeholders forum where we can discuss the way forward," said Misori.

The union, while addressing the Press at its headquarters in Nairobi, said it was irregular to transform the directive to a policy statement.