While government through the Ministry of education has remained adamant that capitation to schools has been effected and that learning should go on uninterrupted, it is no secret that parents still have to grapple with fees payment as is required by schools
As usual government through the ministry of education released a guideline on fees structure that schools in different categories have to adhere to in 2024
Government currently caters for Free Day Secondary Education and disburses Sh.22, 244 annually per student even though parents have to pay for students’ lunch in day schools
Parents whose learners are in national and extra-County schools will pay Sh53, 554, in 2024 up from the previous Sh45, 000 according to the Ministry of education guidelines for the school calendar year in 2024
Even though schools are advised to abide by the Ministry’s guidelines, schools often come up with fees structure every year with several vote heads such as lunch, boarding fees and repair and maintenance taking centre stage. Parents are often required to make payment at the beginning of the term bearing in mind the expenses that come with opening of schools
Even though schools are categorized into sub-county, county, Extra County and national, they all demand payment from parents despite the government disbursing the said capitation which according to principals is never sufficient to run schools effectively
A random check of fees structures of schools in western Kenya reveals that parents are under intense pressure to meet the school fees requirements for their learners to remain in school, with most schools prioritizing monetary payment instead of in kind arrangements where parents can supply material items such as bricks, firewood, food stuff such as beans and maize and other construction material
Whether the fees structure is arrived at after conclusive consultations with all stake holders remains a debatable issue especially with form ones reporting to schools only for the first time in term one and their parents having no choice but to pay fees that is already set
Parents have to leave up to the expectation from schools and adhere to the payment terms because failure to do so prompts school heads to sent children back home with reminders that parents have to meet their part of the bargain to keep schools afloat
That is the reality in schools. Pay and Learn! Learning only goes on smoothly when parents pay fees
A local sub-county school in western Kenya could demand up to Khs.10, 000 and sometimes exceeding this amount per year as school fees to cater for lunch besides other basic requirements such as school uniform and stationery
Sample county schools in western Kenya have set fees at Ksh.15, 000 and slightly above this per year with lunch the vote head that stands out
For extra county schools which have boarding facilities, they charge a minimum of Ksh.40,000 per year apart from other expenses that parents have to incur such as set books, remedial, printing papers and welfare
Parents who take their children to National schools in western Kenya pay a minimum of Ksh.53, 000 per year besides other expenses that are agreed upon by Parents Associations in the various schools, with the motivation that this will trigger hard work on the part of staff for them to register good grades.
There are sub-county and county schools that also have boarding sections hence charge higher for parents who opt to have their children on the boarding program in the lower classes or candidate classes
Sample fees structures 2024
SUB-COUNTY SCHOOLS
Lunch is the parents’ obligation and is set at a minimum of Ksh.10, 000 spread across term one, two and three Varying amounts are paid in day sub-county schools, some are at Ksh.9, 000, some at Ksh.10, 000 while others are at Ksh.12, 000 per year
Parents are often directed to deposit the fees through school bank accounts or fees in kind but highly discouraged from paying fees in cash
COUNTY SCHOOLS
Most county schools charge a minimum of Ksh.15, 000 with some charge up to above Ksh.22, 000 that goes to lunch needs of the students
While most fees structures for county schools have no other vote heads, parents do not just cater for lunch costs because other payments are done for effective running of the institutions.
EXTRA COUNTY SCHOOLS
A minimum of Ksh.40,000 is paid in the extra county schools where Vote heads are composed of items such as Boarding fees, Personnel Emoluments, Activity fees, Maintenance and Improvement, Electricity, water and Conservancy fees
It is however varying from school to school depending on factors such as the student population
In some extra county schools, parents pay up to Ksh.50, 000 per year.
NATIONAL SCHOOLS
Most national schools in western Kenya have set school fees at above Ksh.53, 000
Sample Vote heads include but are not limited to: Boarding Equipment and Stores, Maintenance & Improvement, Local Transport & Travel, Administrative costs, Electricity, Water & Conservancy, Personnel Emoluments, Activity fees, Medical insurance and SMASSE.
The ministry of education has already communicated to schools on the fees structure for schools to adopt as highlighted below:
Free Day Secondary School capitation from government.
National and extra county schools fees structure
Other boarding schools fees structure.
Special schools fees structure
