Form One admission was on Monday, February 6, turned into a money-minting venture after Secondary School Principals defied the Ministry of Education's directive on the exercise.
Parents across the country decried of too familiar but expensive conditions that Secondary School Principals were forcing them to adhere to.
It was reported that Secondary School Principals were still coercing parents to buy uniforms or books in particular shops or within the institutions, contrary to a previous directive by Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu.
“The cost of living has gone up. I feel for farmers who are also parents considering they did not harvest enough crops due to failed rains,” Libareta Mutitu who accompanied his son for Form One admission complained.
In a statement that was endorsed by Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu, on January 24, Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria warned School Principals against forcing parents to buy uniforms within the academic institutions.
The Cabinet Secretaries noted that parents were at liberty to buy uniforms and other items from their preferred marketplaces.
A spot-check by Daily Nation and Citizen TV showed that a number of schools were charging around Ksh22,000 for mattresses, uniforms and books that were bought at the institutions.
In the invitation letters to a number of national schools, it was reported that basic items like ties were going for between Ksh400 to Ksh700.
While a tracksuit was being sold for Ksh2,200 in school, it was going for Ksh1,500 in shops outside the academic institutions.
“The following requirements will be available in school to be bought at the cost indicated: white/black rubber shoes at Ksh900, school magazine Ksh1,000, branding of all items with an admission number Ksh250, mattress (high density) and a bucket Ksh3,000, games t-shirt and short Ksh1,200, house t-shirt Ksh700, jumper Ksh2,800,” calling letter read.
Parents were also asked to clear the first-term fees as part of the requirements for the admission of their children.
Education Cabinet Secretary announced that the government is seeking measures to ensure a one hundred percent transition of all learners who sat the Kenya Certificate for Primary Education in 2022.
Over 1.2 million children sat the Kenya Certificate for Primary Education in 2022 and were all placed in Secondary Schools across the country.
