Magoha asks school heads not to chase away students with arrears

Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha interacts with Kereri Girls High School after a Phase II CBC classes groundbreaking ceremony on July 7, 2022. [Sammy Omingo, Standard]

Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha has called on school heads not to send away students over fee arrears, saying the government will release school capitation before Friday.

Speaking in Kisii yesterday during the launch of junior secondary school classrooms phase two at Kereri Girls, Prof Magoha said no student will be sent home due to lack of school fees.

“We are all sailing in the same boat where we are struggling with harsh economic times. The price of basic commodities has gone high and this affects all of us, even at the family level,” he said.

The CS called on school heads to use the available resources and ensure that all students remain in school.

“We have school feeding programmes in day schools, let us support those critical cases stay in school. We must admit the students to school and give parents an opportunity to pay school fees. Those of us who have already cleared paying fees for our children have gone an extra mile to pay fees for other needy cases, which is a welcome move,” he said.

He explained that the capitation programme changed because of the affected school calendar. “President Uhuru and my ministry will work extra hard to ensure that we have released the funds on time,” he said.

Magoha said the government will complete the construction of 10,000 junior secondary school classrooms on time. “We will deliver the classrooms before we leave the office. No money that belongs to our children will go to waste,” he said.

A further 5,000 classrooms will be constructed. He warned private developers who have grabbed land belonging to schools.

“We have chronic land grabbers in our country. Those buildings that have been put up in schools illegally will eventually be retained by our school administrations,” he said.

The CS said he had taken up the titling process from his predecessor and promised to fast-track the process in ensuring that schools have proper land documentation.

Early Monday morning, the CS issued more than 1,200 titles to various residents at the Kisii Agricultural Training Centre. “The elderly will receive the title deeds at their home. I have noted that the majority of the beneficiaries are elderly and they have had difficulties in coming out of their homes to trace the documents,” he said.

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