A day after Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha directed school heads not to send home students with school fees arrears, teachers have issued demands to the government.
Led by the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Teachers (Kuppet), teachers have asked the Ministry of Education to review the fee structure urgently.
Speaking on Wednesday, August 24, Kuppet Secretary-General Akelo Misori explained that the current structure has caused confusion and crisis in some learning institutions.
Misori detailed that despite Magoha's directive, some learning institutions had been compelled to hike fees to maintain their standards and cater to students' needs.
He pointed out situations in some boarding schools where administrators increased school fees due to harsh economic times.
According to Misori, some parents have protested the increase without being aware that the hike was approved through a participatory process led by school boards and parents' representatives.
"In light of current economic conditions, the government must urgently provide new guidelines on school fees to avoid any misunderstanding between stakeholders in education," Misori stated.
"Prices of cereals, other foodstuffs and essentials like cooking oil have more than doubled over the last year alone. The prices have tripled since the government last set the school fees," he added.
In 2021, Magoha announced a nationwide reduction of school fees by Ksh8,500. He directed secondary schools to charge as low as Ksh24,000.
Before that, boarding schools were charging Ksh53,000 and above. However, the Ministry's move to slash school fees was meant to boost100 per cent transition.
At the same time, Magoha ruled out extending schools' calendars, including the postponement of national examinations.
He expressed confidence that the normal calendar will normalize in January 2023.
"Everybody seems to be worried that time should be extended, in my assessment most schools have already completed the syllabus, they just need to revise, and all will be well; those that think the term will be short, we wait and cross the bridge when we get there," he stated
Magoha affirmed that national examinations would be administered as scheduled in November.
Schools are expected to cover for lost time in the next four weeks, as the second term is slated to end on September 16.
