Poor parents decry high school fees

By MICHAEL OLLINGA

Parents in the North Rift with children who performed well in last year’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) have decried the high fees they are supposed to pay to enable their children proceed to Form One.

The Standard spoke to some pupils whose parents cannot afford to raise the over Sh40,000 being demanded by leading schools.

Marcos Wambugu from Langas slums in Eldoret scored 411 marks and was the best pupil at Alpha Junior Academy School in Uasin Gishu County. He has received an admission letter from Nakuru High School but his mother, Tabitha Muthoni Njuguna, cannot raise the amount the institution requires.

According to Muthoni, she is required to raise Sh70,000 to pay first term fees. “I am just a casual labourer and all I do is to go round the estates and wash clothes for individuals so that I can put food on the table. Where can I get Sh70,000?” she posed.

Edwin Shiveka, 14, a former pupil at Leleolok Primary School in Uasin Gishu scored 386 marks and received an admission letter to join Maranda High School. The fees in the school, he says, is Sh61,000.

His Mother Jentrix Shanyisa is a casual labourer and has so far only managed to raise enough cash to buy school uniform ahead of the February 6 admission deadline.

Rodgers Kiptoo scored 378 marks and was the best pupil in Flax Primary school in Elgeyo Marakwet.

Kiptoo has been under the care of his  grandfather as his mother cannot afford to cater for him. According to Peter Kimaiyo, the grandfather, he cannot afford to raise Sh41,000 required by Iten High School which his grandson is supposed to join. “I cannot afford the fees demanded by the school because my job contract expired last year.”