MP seek dialogue with Ministry over secondary fee structure

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Members of Parliament want to engage the Ministry of Education on whether the secondary school fee structure should be reviewed amid concerns over chronic underfunding caused by inadequate capitation.

The National Assembly Public Investments Committee on Governance and Education raised the issue after an Auditor-General’s report showed that several national schools have been seeking additional fees from parents above the approved amounts, citing rising costs and inflation.

The MPs also want the Ministry to explain disparities between capitation disbursements and the actual number of students enrolled in secondary schools.

The committee, chaired by Luanda MP Dick Maungu, raised concerns over underfunding arising from discrepancies between student numbers captured in the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS) and those recorded in school registers.

Principals who appeared before the committee said they receive less than the Sh22,244 per learner expected annually.

While examining the audit reports of Alliance High School for the financial years 2020/21 to 2024/25 yesterday, the Auditor-General also raised concerns over the irregular increase in school fees, with the school's financial statements showing that Sh17.6 million had been collected from parents.

“The school charged fees of Sh68,554 whereas the fees as per the Ministry’s guideline is Sh53,554 and the school thus raised fees by Sh15,000 per student annually contrary to Regulation 44 of Basic Education Regulation 2015, which states that no public school or institution shall issue alternative fee structure other than that approved by the Cabinet Secretary,” the auditor said.

Alliance High School Chief Principal David Kamau, who appeared before the committee, admitted that the school had been forced to seek additional funding but insisted that the proposal came from parents.

He said the approved Sh53,000 fee was insufficient to sustain the school's budget amid rising costs and high expectations from society.

“We have a certain lifestyle we have to maintain and that is why parents themselves came in – in fact it was their idea – and aske we maintain that. They came in and suggested they can do a budget support so that we can maintain the same standards. For us, to acquire the results, we have to do a lot of activities to make sure we give a holistic education associated with the school over the years,” he explained.

“Parents approve that at an Annual General Meeting and we write as requested to the Ministry but that letter of authority has never been granted. We have followed the process to the letter in terms of seeking approval for extra levies from parents,” he added.

The committee also heard that the school had fee arrears amounting to Sh36 million. Kamau said the school had sought an advisory from its board on the matter, but it had yet to be granted.

MPs, however, questioned what happens to students from poor backgrounds who cannot afford the additional Sh15,000.

Lungalunga MP Chiforomodo Munga said the Government had entrusted principals with following the law, which prohibits public schools from issuing alternative fee structures without approval.

“I was a parent of Alliance but all said and done, you have done contrary to the law because approvals must come from the CS and I can assure you there is nobody who will approve that because they know they will be breaking the law and will be held accountable,” he said.

He said the situation presented a dilemma because schools had to maintain certain standards while also complying with the law.

Embakasi West MP Mark Mwenje said the issue of additional fees had been a long-standing challenge, recalling that he paid about Sh40,000 when he attended Alliance High School about 20 years ago.

He confirmed that parents had historically contributed additional funds to support the school.

“We just need to sit down with the Ministry because it is becoming obvious that this money is no longer sufficient but we need to inform the principal that whenever such things are happening, there should be concurrence of the Principal Secretary but when we meet with the CS that issue should come out because we can no longer bury our heads in the sand,” Mwenje said.

Igembe Central MP Daniel Karitho described the issue as a “tricky” one, noting that while inflation had increased costs, schools were still required to comply with the law.

“We cannot allow parents from any institution to just sit down and agree because there are those who are voiceless. This is an issue that needs to be discussed even in the House on the fees structure and if there is something that needs to be done, even on the basic regulation so that we can have a level,” Karitho said.

Kamau, however, maintained that Alliance's process was transparent, saying parents were given access to budget documents during the Annual General Meeting and were informed why additional funds were required.

“We tell the parents that is their decision to make and if they want to stick to the Sh53,000 but what we can offer as a school will reduce. I can assure we are conscious of the needy and we do not send anyone away because of the fees, either for statutory or additional,” he explained.