MoE takes action against school heads charging extra fees
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MoE takes action against school heads charging extra fees after a public outcry by parents
MoE takes action against school heads charging extra fees after a public outcry by parents.
The government through MoE (Ministry of Education) dispatched education officials to various public institutions after parents complained about being overcharged by school heads.
On February 9, Regional, County, and Sub-County Directors of Education were deployed as part of a multi-agency operation by Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang.
The education officials were instructed to initiate investigations right once and gather information on the ways that different headteachers disobeyed government orders by charging parents with illegal fees.
Among the areas Kipsang directed them to investigate included imposing admission fees, purchasing desks, buying textbooks, and demanding lunch money which he stated was a complete contravention of government directives and policies.
The Education Principal Secretary instructed Regional, County, and Sub-County Directors of Education to discontinue the plan that required parents to pay additional fees in addition to providing the names of various school heads who disobeyed the order.
“Your attention is drawn to regulation 44 of the Basic Education Act, 2013, which states that, “No public school or institution shall issue alternative fees structure other than those approved by the Cabinet Secretary,” the PS stated.
Headteachers found culpable risk suspension and expulsion, with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) directed to enforce disciplinary action.
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While defending the action, Kipsang explained that the government had allocated Ksh15,000 per child in Junior Secondary Schools and Ksh22,244.
Kipsang’s directive came after parents lamented over extra levies imposed by various schools, especially for students joining form one and those transitioning to Junior Secondary Schools.
To facilitate the transition, Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu promised to push for the release of resources to ensure smooth learning.
“Parents should report incidents of any students turned away for not paying higher fees and other levies to the nearest education office for action,” Machogu directed.
” I also wish to challenge parents and guardians to take their obligations seriously by ensuring prompt payment of school fees in boarding schools,” he insisted.
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