Parents want State to prosecute county education directors over drastic fees increment

Parents busy at Savannis bookshop, Nairobi selecting books for their children as they prepare to re-open for term one 2016. PHOTO: JENIPHER WACHIE

NAIROBI: Parents have asked Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i to ensure county education directors (CED) who authorise fee increment are prosecuted.

Kenya National Association of Parents Secretary General Musau Ndunda said the directors action was contrary to the Basic Education Act that states fees increment has to be authorised by the CS.

Mr Ndunda told the Public Service Commission to retire the directors on grounds of public interest. He noted that school boards, committees and CED had taken advantage of the complacency of the government to incorporate their own levies in the fees structures for their own benefit.

This is despite the Ministry of Education gazetting a fee structure that was to be adopted at the beginning of the first school term in 2015 but schools protested arguing that it will compromise their budgets.
According to fee structures of some schools, parents will be expected to part with as much as Sh100,000.
Ndunda alleged that education officials have been dragged in the mess by the directors: “According to section 92 of the Basic Education Act anyone in contradiction should be jailed for a year or part with Sh200, 000 but we have not seen any prosecution yet.”

Through lobbying of the association CEDs of Makueni, Machakos, Busia and Kakamega are set to be arraigned in court from next week.

The prescribed fees by the government has been capped at Sh53,500 for boarding schools and Sh9,000 for day schools with a breakdown of 50, 30 and 20 per cent for first, second and third terms respectively.

Meanwhile, parents in Nairobi thronged bookshops yesterday as they prepared to take their children to school next week.

Margaret Gachie, who was shopping for her seven-year-old twins in primary school, told The Standard on Sunday that the prices of books and school bags had gone up.

“I bought text books last year when my children were in Standard One but though they were still new, I am forced to purchase others since they have proceeded to the next class. I wish the schools would assist us from this burden of buying books yearly by giving parents a figure to pay for books.” said the mother of three.

Text book centre along Kijabe Street and Savannis Bookshop, were jammed with parents.

Patrick Namwamba who was buying text books for his two sons in Maseno and Lugenya School lamented over increased cost.

He also decried school fees hike saying it will burden parents.

This is after reports in the media that some schools had ignored government cap on school fees and set high charges.