Just a week after Education CS George Magoha directed schools not to send home students on account of school fees, headteachers have challenged the order saying that they do not have enough funds to run the financial institutions.
Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (Kessha) chairman Kahi Indimuli lamented that parents were taking advantage of Magoha's order and failing to pay student's school fees.
"Principals are facing hard times because without funds, it's literally impossible to feed learners and cater for their boarding requirements," Indimuli stated.
He added that schools relied on fees paid by the parents to run most operations in the schools.
"Principals are facing hard times because of funds, it's literally impossible to feed learners and cater for their boarding requirements," he continued.
Some students, Indimuli lamented, had not cleared first term's school fees while others had not paid the second term fees before President Uhuru Kenyatta's directive to close schools.
He added that money sent to the government a week ago was too little to run the schools. Some of the schools have also decried that they are yet to receive the funds.
A guardian who spoke to Kenyans.co.ke and who sought anonymity revealed that he was asked to clear school fees or else the child will be sent home.
"I received a call from my nephew, a Form Four candidate whom I am responsible for, and he informed me that they will be sent home on Wednesday, October 21, for school fees.
"The headteacher had told them that school has no money, and those with particularly huge fee balances will have to proceed home to get money," he explained.
Last week, Magoha asked teachers to bear with parents who were yet to pay school fees for their parents.
"For boarding schools, may I plead with principals to ensure that no child is sent home on account of school fees," Magoha said.
