LOBBY GROUP ISSUES STERN WARNING TO SCHOOL PRINCIPALS WHO WILL DARE RAISE SCHOOL FEES-READ ABOUT THE MORE THAN 70% FEE INCREMENT ALLEGATIONS LEVELED AGAINST PRINCIPALS
HOMA BAY BASED EDUCATION LOBBY GROUP WARNS SCHOOL PRINCIPALS OVER 2020 SECONDARY SCHOOL FEES: LATEST DETAILS ON THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION’S SCHOOL FEES GUIDELINE, PROPOSED NEW SCHOOL FEES BY KESSHA AND DEVIATIONS
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A Homa Bay-based education lobby group- Homa Bay County Education Network has raised eyebrows over the proposal by the Kenya Secondary Schools’ Heads’ Association to increase secondary school fees as from next year.
The lobby’s main worry is the unscrupulous means that school heads are likely to use to mint cash from Kenyan parents in the name of facilitating development projects within the school.
This warning comes as an aftermath of the Kenyan Government allowing school heads to increase secondary school fees as from next year.
70% SCHOOL FEES INCREMENT
Speaking at Homa Bay town, the lobby’s network co-ordinator Julius Omuga said it is important to have principals controlled on matters school fees since they are likely to burden Kenyan parents with a more than 70% fee increment.
Omuga further added that many school principals have always invented ways of minting extra money from parents and guardians despite the ministry of Education issuing tough guidelines regarding the payment of school fees.
Therefore, giving them a leeway to increase school fees is like opening a can of worms…
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PROFESSOR MAGOHA ON SECONDARY SCHOOL FEES
CS Education Professor Magoha said that school heads were free to consult and convince willing parents to support the development of school infrastructure.
Quoted verbatim, Professor Magoha said, “NOTHING STOPS A PATRIOTIC PRINCIPAL FROM ENGAGING THE SCHOOL’S BOARD OF MANAGEMENT TO SEE IF S/HE CAN PERSUADE VOLUNTARILY PEOPLE WHO WANT TO IMPROVE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THEIR SCHOOLS.”
This decision was arrived at by the Ministry of Education after it was realized that there were inadequate structures to accommodate new students who are likely to join these schools next year.
NOTE: VOLUNTARY PAYMENT OF HIGHER FEES
Professor Magoha however strictly warned against any attempts by school principals to force parents who are economically disadvantaged to give the extra fees.
Only parents who are willing should pay the fees voluntarily.
He further added that the increment of school fees MUST be done in consultation with parents and other major education stakeholders.
The arrival at such pertinent decisions should not be a one-man-show.
NEW SECONDARY SCHOOL FEES STRUCTURE
In February 2019, the current Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association, KESSHA Chairman Kahi Indimuli presented a proposal to the Ministry of Education aimed at increasing secondary school fees.
In the proposal for new secondary school fees, principals want school fees for national or Extra County schools located in urban areas increased by Kshs 15, 848 from the current Kshs 75, 798. This will amount to Kshs 91, 641.
For national or extra county secondary schools located in other areas, the principals proposed to have the school fees raised by Kshs 17, 773 from the current Kshs 62, 679. This will amount to Kshs 80, 452 per year.
The reason behind this proposal is the fact that the government usually withholds Kshs 4, 196 for textbooks, Kshs 200 for Science and Mathematics Improvement programme, Kshs 6, 000 for infrastructure, Kshs 270 for activity and Kshs 900 for medical insurance.
This leaves schools with only KSHS 10, 600 AS GOVERNMENT SUBSIDY PER STUDENT.
BELOW IS A BREAK-DOWN OF THE NEW PROPOSED SCHOOL FEES BY PRINCIPALS
TABLE 1: NEW SCHOOL FEES PROPOSAL
| CATEGORY OF SCHOOL | MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
2020 SET SCHOOL FEES |
SUBSIDY BY
THE GOVERNMENT |
AMOUNT TO BE
PAID BY PARENTS |
PROPOSED SCHOOL
FEES BY PRINCIPALS |
SUBSIDY BY
THE GOVERNMENT |
NEW PROPOSED AMOUNT TO BE PAID BY PARENTS |
| NATIONAL SCHOOLS | 75, 798 | 22, 244 | 53, 554 | 91, 646 | 22, 244 | 69, 402 |
| EXTRA COUNTY SCHOOLS CATEGORY A (WITHIN BIG TOWNS) | 75, 798 | 22, 244 | 53, 554 | 91, 646 | 22, 244 | 69, 402 |
| EXTRA COUNTY SCHOOLS CATEGORY B- IN OTHER AREAS | 62, 779 | 22, 244 | 40, 535 | 80, 452 | 22, 244 | 58, 208 |
| COUNTY SCHOOLS | 62, 779 | 22, 244 | 40, 535 | 70, 216 | 22, 244 | 47, 972 |
TABLE 2: THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION’S SET SECONDARY SCHOOL FEES
HERE IS THE 2020 FEES STRUCTURE FOR DAY SECONDARY SCHOOLS
2020 SCHOOL FEE STRUCTURE FOR DAY SCHOOLS IN KENYA
| VOTE HEADS | PARENT | GOK (AMOUNT IN KSHS) |
| TEACHING/ LEARNING MATERIALS AND EXAMS | 0 | 4, 144 |
| MAINTENANCE AND IMPROVEMENT | 0 | 5, 000 |
| OTHER VOTE HEADS-LT $T, ADM., EWC, P.E | 0 | 9, 400 |
| ACTIVITY FEES | 0 | 1, 500 |
| MEDICAL AND INSURANCE | 0 | 2, 000 |
| SMASSE | 0 | 200 |
| TOTAL SCHOOL FEES | 0 | 22, 244 |
TOWN SCHOOLS
The maximum fees for all national and extra county secondary schools located in major towns has been capped at Kshs 75, 798 PER YEAR.
The Government is planning to subsidise this fee with Kshs 22, 244. The rest of the amount should be raised by the parent or guardian.
BOARDING SCHOOLS
The Kenyan Government will also facilitate the education of each learner in boarding school equal to the capitation offered for learners in day schools.
The parents will have to cater for boarding fees applicable to different categories of schools and their location.
THE FOLLOWING TABLES SHOW THE BOARDING SCHOOLS’ FEES STRUCTURES FOR VARIOUS CATEGORIES OF SCHOOLS BASED ON LOCATION
BOARDING SCHOOLS’ MINISTRY OF EDUCATION FEES STRUCTURE FOR CATEGORY A
Category A schools include all National schools, extra county secondary schools located in the following major towns: Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Nyeri, Kisumu, Thika and Eldoret.
| VOTE HEAD | GOK | PARENT | TOTAL |
| TEACHING/LEARNING MATERIALS AND EXAMS | 4, 144 | 0 | 4, 144 |
| BOARDING EQUIPMENT AND STORES | 0 | 30, 385 | 30, 385 |
| MAINTENANCE AND IMPROVEMENT | 5, 000 | 2, 000 | 7, 000 |
| OTHER VOTE HEADS | 9, 400 | 20, 371 | 29, 771 |
| ACTIVITY FEES | 1, 500 | 798 | 2, 298 |
| MEDICAL AND INSURANCE | 2, 000 | 0 | 2, 000 |
| SMASSE | 200 | 0 | 200 |
| TOTAL AMOUNT | 22, 244 | 53, 554 | 75, 798 |
BOARDING SCHOOL FEES FOR SCHOOLS IN CATEGORY B
Category B secondary schools include boarding schools located in other areas except Nairobi, Nakuru, Kisumu, Eldoret, Mombasa, Nyeri, and Thika
| VOTE HEAD | GOK | PARENT | TOTAL |
| TEACHING/LEARNING MATERIALS AND EXAMS | 4, 144 | 0 | 4, 144 |
| BOARDING EQUIPMENT AND STORES | 0 | 25, 385 | 25, 385 |
| MAINTENANCE AND IMPROVEMENT | 5, 000 | 2, 000 | 7, 000 |
| OTHER VOTE HEADS | 9, 400 | 12, 900 | 22, 300 |
| ACTIVITY FEES | 1, 500 | 250 | 1, 750 |
| MEDICAL AND INSURANCE | 2, 000 | 0 | 2, 000 |
| SMASSE | 200 | 0 | 200 |
| TOTAL AMOUNT | 22, 244 | 40, 535 | 62, 779 |
