Parents and businesspeople express concern over high cost of living as schools reopen for second term

As schools reopen for the second term, parents and businesspeople have expressed their displeasure over the high cost of living, saying it has affected the entire process.

Ben Wekesa Obama, a parent from Mt. Elgon Constituency, says he is still struggling to set aside enough money to pay for his children’s school fees, noting that the situation is widespread among many other parents.

He added that when counties were denied the mandate to assist parents in offsetting bills through bursaries and scholarships, many were adversely affected. He called on the government to revisit the issue.

However, he remains optimistic that, in the end, many parents will manage to send their children back to school for the second term.

Charles Walela, who sells stationery in Bungoma town, said sales have been low as parents are struggling to cope with the harsh economic times, noting that the ripple effect is clearly being felt on the ground.

He mentioned that in the past, parents would flock to buy various books without bargaining, but now the situation is dire.

He further disclosed that the changes in the curriculum significantly affected their business, as some publishing companies had to close down and workers were rendered redundant. As a result, they incurred losses after stocking books that became obsolete.

Bernard Wafula, a school uniform shop owner in Bungoma town, expressed similar concerns, saying parents are not turning up in large numbers to buy uniforms for their children.

He pointed out that schools reopening before the end of the month has negatively impacted many parents, as most government-employed individuals depend on their end-of-month salaries to settle bills.

Bernard also lamented that some schools are requiring parents to buy uniforms directly from the institutions, which has significantly hurt their businesses.

Augustine Luketelo, the Bungoma KUPPET Executive Secretary, urged the government to release capitation funds to schools on time to enable school heads to run their institutions smoothly.

He noted that parents are going through difficult times and cannot pay school fees easily. He emphasized that the government is the only savior that can cushion them, especially during this second term, which is packed with numerous academic activities, making it essential for students to remain in school throughout.