School heads happy with fees waiver for ex-KCSE students

Nyeri County: Secondary school administrators in Nyeri County have welcomed the Government's move to release Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education certificates for students who are unable to clear fees arrears.

Most school heads, however, said they are yet to receive any official communication from the Ministry of Education and were apprehensive as to how it will be implemented.

"There are several former students who are affected by fee balances who do not collect their certificates. However at this time I do not know how many will benefit from the directive," South Tetu Girls School Principal Agnes Mathenge said.

She said she could not immediately ascertain how many students had failed to pick their certificates due to fees arrears.

"We must first receive official communication from the ministry and then consolidate our accounts to identify the students affected," Ms Mathenge said.

"I can confirm there are some students who cleared but are affected by fees arrears," Kagumo High School Principal Lawrence Kiwara said.

"I cannot be specific because we need to go through our school records and identify the students affected," Khe added.

In Kirinyaga County, Kabonge Mixed Day Secondary School has been holding certificates of 39 students since 2011.

But Kabare Girls High School principal Jacinta Ndambiri said the newly elevated national school would not be affected by the directive because it was not holding any certificate for its past students.

MS Ndambiri said the school had an endowment fund for poor students funded mainly from the school's income generating farm.

In Murang'a County, Kahatia Secondary School principal James Kamau said they are holding 500 certificates. Kamau said the school will readily comply with the directive.