Wundanyi NG-CDF committee sets Sh1000 fee for day secondary school

Wunyanyi MP Danson Mwashako says NG-CDF has already issued a total of Sh13 million bursary to day school learners. [File, Standard]

The Wundanyi National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) Committee has set a ceiling for fees for day secondary school learners in the constituency.

The committee said on Tuesday that the new fee structure rolled out in first term will reduce the burden on parents without compromising the quality of education.

Wunyanyi MP Danson Mwashako revealed that NG-CDF has already issued a total of Sh13 million to day school learners in the constituency, with each receiving a Sh10,000 bursary.

Parents will be required to top up only Sh3,000 per child annually, meaning Sh1,000 per term.

The MP said any parent who fails pay Sh1,000 per term will have their child removed from the NG-CDF-sponsored programme.

“The NG-CDF will pay a total of Sh10,000 per year in annual fees, while parents only pay a Sh3,000 fee. The fund’s initiative is to reduce the burden on parents who have been struggling to feed and educate their children in the wake of skyrocketing food prices,” said Mwashako.

 “Let me make it clear that fees for day scholars is Sh13,000 per year. The NG-CDF committee has already paid Sh10,000 for day learners, while parents will only pay Sh3,000 per year. Each term, parents will be required to pay Sh1,000 only,” he added. 

Addressing parents, teachers and students at Wundanyi Dawson Mwanyumba stadium on Tuesday, the opposition legislator who is also a member of the Budget Parliamentary Committee said all Grade 10 students, FormThree and Four day learners in the constituency have benefited from the NG-CDF fee subsidy programme this year. 

He noted that the fund’s committee has already disbursed Sh13 million to 1,287 students. 

“I will not be kind with you if you charge extra levies. Those charging illegal fees will not be allowed, and at the same time, parents who fail to supplement the initiative by paying Sh1000 per term for their children as a commitment will have their children withdrawn from the programme,” Mwashako said. 

He further emphasised that access to bursaries would be universal to ensure that no child is locked out of school due to poverty and lack of school fees. 

Mwashako said education is a right, and every child deserves an equal chance. This comes as questions abound about the sustainability of the programme, with some critics claiming it will fail due to the high cost of education. 

Further, the legislator warned secondary school principals and their board of management (BoM) against introducing extra levies.

He said that he had received complaints from parents that some head teachers were charging extra fees despite the Ministry of Education fee guidelines.

Parents complained that head teachers and BoM are taking advantage of the persistent shortage of teachers in their schools to introduce academic progress/remedial classes and charge extra levies, with some schools providing teachers' M-Pesa numbers for payment of the monies. 

The parents have protested that they have been compelled to pay salaries for BoM teachers and remedial classes separately from the government fees structure. 

They have also complained that despite paying for remedial classes, schools in the region performed dismally in the 2025 KCSE.

 “Schools have become cash cows, and we have been compelled by heads and BoM to pay for academic progress/remedial class sessions with a promise that our children will pass KCSE, but last year’s results were discouraging. There is no need for schools to charge for extra coaching,” said parents in Taita sub-county.

 In one of the schools, the BoM has been charging Sh20,000 per year per student for remedial classes, while others are charging between Sh6,000 and Sh15,000, respectively.

The MP warned that head teachers found introducing extra charges will take responsibility for their actions.

Mwashako said he held a consultative meeting with all head teachers in Taita sub-county, where he warned them of stern action if found imposing extra levies. 

Mwashako revealed that local leaders have stepped up efforts under the “Wapwani Tusome Campaign” to advocate for coastal communities to take the education of their children seriously as a major key pillar of affirmative action, equality and development. 

He said other efforts to improve the poor standards of education include the introduction of the “Boresha Matokeo” and “Sima Wukiwa” initiatives, all geared towards supporting poor children's access to education to fight poverty.