Officials warn against demanding lunch fee for day scholars

Eastern Regional Director of Education, Patrick Khaemba at his office in Embu town on Monday. [Joseph Muchiri, Standard]

Day secondary school principals have been cautioned against sending students home for failure to pay lunch fee.

Embu County Commissioner Abdulahi Galgalo and Eastern Regional Education Officer Patrick Khaemba said the government was committed to ensuring 100 percent transition to secondary schools and had thus paid tuition for each student.

Speaking at separate forums, they reiterated that no student should be denied a chance to pursue secondary education because their parents cannot afford the lunch fee.

Galgalo said he was aware of cases where day school students had been sent home from school to collect lunch fee. He warned principals and education officers that such action should stop immediately.

“You should let the student come to school with own lunch even if that is just githeri. The president wants every child to get a chance to learn even if they have no money for lunch,” he said.

He told chiefs to play a facilitative role in ensuring all standard eight leavers in their locality join secondary schools.

Khaemba, on the other hand, said parents should come to an agreement with the school’s management on how their children will be provided with food.

He added that parents who really cannot afford to pay for lunch should make efforts to provide something for their children’s lunch, since that also affects performance.

“It is important for children to be provided with hot lunches alongside others in school,” he noted.

Khaemba said all arrangements were in place to ensure all standard eight leavers get a place in secondary schools.  

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