Headteachers charging extra school fees from parents in public schools now risk being demoted for not heeding to the directives from the Ministry of Education.
Principal Secretary in the Department of Basic Education, Belio Kipsang, on Friday, February 17, noted that the Ministry will take stern action against the headteachers found culpable of overcharging parents- including demotion.
Speaking while appearing before the National Assembly Committee on Education, the tough-talking PS termed the trend as gross "impunity" hence necessitating action from the government.
He stated that Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu had issued enough circulars warning headteachers against extorting money from parents - especially those enrolling their children on the newly created Junior Secondary School level.
“You don’t dare the government and get away with it.
"We are going to ensure they do not handle our resources if found culpable. We will rather use their deputies on this matter," Kipsang noted.
According to the PS, the government had already disbursed the Ksh9.6 billion required to meet the capitation needs for grade seven learners in Junior Secondary School in the first term.
Further, Kipsang committed to allocating funds for the remaining capitation amount in subsequent budget restructuring.
On their part, members of the Committee led by Chairperson Julius Melly urged the Ministry to iron out conflicting interests with the Teachers Service Commission regarding disciplinary action on culpable teachers.
The committee noted that a disconnect was evident from the cooperation between MoE's officials and the TSC, which according to them, encouraged headteachers to sustain the extortion with confidence that disciplinary action would take time.
In addition, the MPs urged PS Kipsang and his colleagues to exercise their authority on rogue teachers amid concerns that the Ministry's hands were tied in matters concerning demoting or taking disciplinary action on teachers.
In January 2022, Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu assured that government would provide capitation for all grade seven learners hence saving parents from the high cost of school fees.
