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Kenya: MPs to Probe Illegal Charges in Schools

Published

4 years ago

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Even as the dust settles on this year’s Form One admissions, parents are still reeling from the many hidden charges slapped on them by schools.

Their harrowing experiences have prompted lawmakers to look into allegations of school charges, which were not included in the official admission letters.

MPs are expected to meet with Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha next week to discuss the many charges that headteachers spring on parents every time schools reopen.

Lawmakers are puzzled that most schools ask parents to pay the extra charges, not into official accounts used for normal school fees, but through M-Pesa and other accounts.

Ms Florence Mutua (Busia), the chairperson of the National Assembly’s Education Committee, said the illegal fees are a matter of concern and MPs will scrutinise them.

“We will look into it because we only have one place — the Ministry of Education — where instructions on school fees come from. If there are schools setting internal fees without the approval of the ministry, then it is illegal,” she said. These extra charges, said Mr Jared Okello (Nyando), drain parents’ pockets further.

Additional charges

“Why are parents subjected to additional charges which were not in the official calling letter?” Mr Okello posed.

The committee will also consider a petition by Kilifi North MP Owen Baya on fees charged in primary schools for internal exams. The fees, he said in the petition, disadvantage pupils from poor backgrounds, who are denied access to the exams if they fail to pay.