The Cabinet has approved the digitisation of the entire education system in the country in a move aimed at streamlining services.
In a Cabinet dispatch issued on Wednesday, it was noted that the digitisation programme would eliminate various issues bedevilling the education sector including running of parallel school accounts and overcharging of fees.
On the other hand, President William Ruto's Cabinet explained that digitisation would eliminate enrollment of ghost students.
"In keeping with the Administration’s digital transformation agenda, Cabinet sanctioned the digitization of the entire education system, spanning from basic education to tertiary and university levels.
"This intervention aims to address the governance challenges within our education system that has led to parallel accounts, charging of unauthorised school fees, diversion of the exchequer releases on capitation and other fraudulent activities that undermine the integrity of the education system, leading to the enrollment of ghost students," read the dispatch in part.
Following the approval, Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu is expected to issue guidelines on how the digitisation plan will be implemented.
Initially, only national schools were targeted by the eCitizen plan. In the directive that was issued early in the month, Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang noted that parents would begin making payments through the eCitizen platform.
However, the directive was challenged in court with the High Court in Nairobi temporarily halting the process.
In the ongoing court case, Justice Chacha Mwita extended the orders till April 17 when the matter will be heard and determined.
Notably, parents had also lamented over the digitisation plan given that some of them often substitute fees with delivery of items such as maize, and firewood among others.
On the other hand, teachers also questioned how schools would get access to the money given the process that is expected to be enforced in the eCitizen plan.
"There are also parents who do casual jobs in schools to pay fees for their children. How will they be able to do so on the e-Citizen platform?"Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) secretary general Akelo Misori wondered.
