President William Ruto has assured parents countrywide that fees for high school students will not increase.
Addressing candidates at Kikuyu Township Primary School in Kiambu County on Monday morning, Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu confirmed that the Head of State, who was also in attendance, had approved for high school fees to remain unchanged.
The CS assured that as a result, all candidates sitting for the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) will secure slots in high schools.
For those who proceed to national and extra-county schools, the annual school fees will remain Ksh53,000 while those admitted to county schools will be required to pay Ksh45,000.
"I have confirmed that exams have gone to all schools and Your Excellency, I would like to assure Kenyans that your government is not increasing the fees when they go to Form 1. All of (the candidates) are going to be placed in Form 1," he assured.
"The school fees is Ksh53,000 for national and extra-county schools and Ksh45,000 for county schools."
The CS further indicated that a total of 1,415,315 pupils had registered to sit for the national exams, which marks the last time the country will administer the KCPE examinations since its onset in 1985.
Machogu also noted that all candidates sitting for the inaugural Kenya Primary School Education Assessment will proceed to Grade 7.
Ruto, who was in attendance, assured that the state had secured opportunities for all candidates no matter their performance in the national examinations.
"Be confident and do your best. Carry out the exam knowing very well we have an opportunity for each and every child of Kenya as you move to the next stage," he told the minors.
"There is no child in Kenya who will not have a place to move on and progress their education to the next level. That is the confidence I want every child in Kenya to know."
Earlier, parents had raised concerns over pressure from principals seeking to increase school fees over the increased cost of living.
The principals were reportedly employing underhand dealings such as increasing the cost of school uniforms and forcing parents to buy the supplies at specific shops.
