Kenya: Education Ministry Warns Schools Against Increasing Fees

Nairobi — The Ministry of Education has warned public schools against issuing alternative fee structures other than those approved by the government.

In a statement, Director of Secondary and Tertiary Education Paul Kibet said the Ministry has received numerous complaints from parents, sponsors of needy students and the general public regarding schools charging illegal levies.

“It is noted that schools recover these levies upfront before crediting money paid as fees into the students’ fees accounts. This makes students have false fees arrears leading to them being sent home. Where lunch program is in place, the same should be made optional and be reasonable taking into consideration the reduced term or academic year,” Kibet stated.

He pointed out that no person or Board of Management in a public institution of basic education and training shall alter or increase fees without written authority from the Cabinet Secretary professor George Magoha.

He cautioned that members of the Board of Management of an institution which contravenes regulation 44 or 45 shall jointly be guilty of an offence under the Basic Education Regulations ACT 2015.

“No child will be sent away for non-payment of such fees. Schools are ordered to display their fees structure prominently on their notice boards. Any fees collected above the revised guidelines be refunded or treated as prepayment of fees for continuing students,” he said.

Kibet directed all the County and Sub County Directors of Education to report to the Principal Secretary any Board of Management whose institution is charging illegal levies with immediate effect.

The government revised school fees for boarding schools with this year’s academic calendar reduced to 9 weeks.

under the revised structure, national schools will charge Sh8, 500 less while Extra-County and County schools will charge Sh5, 500 less.