High costs as secondary schools admit students

Kenya; Parents of Form One students are grappling with high school fees as their children report for the first term.

While the Education ministry has set guidelines for school fees in public institutions, some parents still face the heavy burden of exorbitant school fees.

In 2008, the ministry revised school fees for all public boarding schools to Sh18,435 annually.

The Government also subsidised fees for day secondary schools by Sh10,265 per student.

For Cecilia Wangechi it is a frantic race against time to raise fees for her daughter who has been admitted to Loreto High School, Limuru, a national school. Like other Form One parents, she is expected to pay Sh77,480 this year, despite the set guidelines.

According to the fee structure, tuition fees is Sh7,800. Of this, the Government will pay Sh3,600, leaving the parents to pay Sh4,200.

The parents will have to pay for boarding equipment and stores at Sh28,540, repairs, maintenance and improvement (Sh3,900), electricity, water and conservancy (Sh9,000), local travel and transport (Sh5,900), contingencies (Sh3,900), salaries (Sh15,000), activity fee (Sh2,390) and medical fee (Sh1,050).

The school is also charging parents for District SMASSE fund, gratuity, computers, PTA, insurance and capacity building programmes which all totals up to Sh9,490 per year.

The school fees for those joining Bishop Gatimu (Ngandu) Girls is Sh68,000 this year.

The students are to pay Sh30,800 for the first term, which is not inclusive of the school uniform fee of Sh13,200.

According to the fee structure, tuition fees is being subsidised by the Government at Sh3,600, while parents pay Sh3,700.

The parents will have to pay for boarding equipment and stores (Sh27,315), repairs, maintenance and improvement (Sh1,200), electricity and personal emoluments (Sh5,135) among other charges.

Also included in the fee structure is insurance fee, PTA supplementary, PTA project, computer and caution fees which total to Sh16,000.

Students who have secured a position in a county school like Gataragwa Girls High School are expected to pay up to Sh39,887 this year.

The parents would also have to pay an extra Sh5,690 for uniform, Sh1,000 for a hockey stick or buy one for Sh4,000.