Uphold school fee guidelines

 

Once more, Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i has warned school heads of the need to go by the set school fees ceilings set out in Kenya Gazette Notice No. 1555 of March 2015.

This notice specifies that day secondary schools must not charge more than Sh9,374 per year. Boarding Secondary Schools fee should not exceed Sh53, 554 and Special Schools Sh32,600 per year.

These amounts are exclusive of government capitation of Sh12,870 for secondary schools and Sh37,210 for special schools. But while school principals and their boards of management are urged to operate within these set guidelines, some schools have devised ways of charging more.

Indeed, many schools were reported to have completely ignored the directive and continue to charge as much as Sh100,000 per year. Dr Matiang'i should go beyond issuing warnings and ensure the rule is obeyed to the letter.

By applying the same zeal he applied in ensuring examination cheating is a thing of the past, it is possible that errant school heads can be brought to account. Everything possible must be done to ensure that high school fees does not stand in the transitioning of students, especially those from poor backgrounds.