Members of Parliament (MPs) have questioned several areas in the directive to pay school fees via the eCitizen platform, pointing out sections that require clarification before it is fully implemented.
In a meeting held on Tuesday, April 17, the National Assembly’s Education Committee highlighted unresolved issues related to the new payment method.
The committee has demanded that the Ministry of Education conduct public participation in the directive, to involve parents who are directly affected by the change.
“If you are saying the school heads are creating ghost students within another government system nemesis, what stops them from again creating ghost students with eCitizen?” Kitutu Masaba MP Ombane Gisairo questioned.
The Lawmakers further questioned the inclusivity measures considered to accommodate parents with non-money means of paying school fees. According to the committee, some parents make payments in the form of foodstuff or animals to substitute a percentage of the school fees required.
“How does the platform quantify that the firewood that has come in is for ten thousand? So that it can give a digital receipt,” Gisairo added.
Directing the queries to the Principal Secretary of State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services Julius Bitok, the MPs asked for an extensive explanation to understand the efficiency of the system.
“There is an element of valuation which has to be done within the school for the kind of goods you are bringing. If it's a goat, we have to leave it to the benefit of the doubt that the school will provide a value and give a digital receipt,” Bitok explained.
Defending their demands, the legislators noted that the due diligence was to ensure schools receive funds for their daily operational needs including payments to suppliers and support staff.
“The Kenya Kwanza Government is very keen on leveraging technology to enhance service delivery and close all loopholes of corruption,” Bitok stated.
“To ensure that all monies that are due for the government as efficiently and most conveniently and cheaply.”
President William Ruto on February 14 ordered all schools and universities to pay school fees via the government's Citizen platform, to eliminate various issues including running of parallel school accounts and overcharging of fees.
