Schools continue to charge high fees despite tough talk from CS Jacob Kaimenyi

NAIROBI: Secondary schools continue to charge high fees despite tough talk from Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi over the new fees structures.

A spot-check by The Standard indicated that several schools in Nyanza region were still using their own fees structures which are not in line with the recent government directive.

Parents have now expressed discontent with the high fees which are likely to lock out many students, with some day schools charging up to Sh23,000 above the Government's subsidy of Sh12,000.

A section of parents contacted by The Standard from Kisumu, Siaya, Homa Bay and Migori counties said school heads have been turning them away, claiming that they have not received the circular on new fees guidelines.

Chairman Parents Association, Nyanza region, Jackson Ogweno said most parents have had to comply, citing non-commitment from Government on this matter.

The Government had issued school fees structures for the different categories of public secondary schools. According to the new guidelines, day schools are required to charge an annual fees of Sh9,374 while boarding schools and special schools should charge Sh53,543 and Sh37,210 respectively.

Speaking while releasing the 2014 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results on Tuesday, Prof Kaimenyi noted that new fee guidelines were to ensure that all Kenyans, irrespective of their backgrounds, had unrestricted access to education.

Some county directors of education from Nyanza region admitted that the Government had not formally communicated the directive to schools.

Kisumu County Director of Education Sylvester Mulambe said no circular had been sent to his office over the matter.

"It is true I have not received the circular and I cannot send circular to school heads before getting the communication from the higher office. But school heads must know that this is a directive which has been given by the government and they must abide," said Mulambe.

His Homa Bay counterpart Stephen Barongo also said his office had not received the circular, but promised to make a formal communication to schools in his area.

"Even though we have not received circulars, I hope all school heads are aware of it," said Barongo.

Siaya County Education Director Nerea Olick said all schools in her area had received the circular and that no complaints had reached her desk over high fees.

"As it had been indicated earlier, some parents had already paid extra fees and there is a way to deal with that but we are not aware of any school flouting the new guidelines as at now," said Ms Olick.