Matiang’i: No admission fees to class one, 2017 secondary school fees to remain unchanged

Dennis Tarus

November 18, 2016 5:20 PM

Dr Matiang’i said the Basic Education Act, 2012 barred any person from collecting admission fee of any child who sought admission in public basic education institutions.

Class one pupils with their laptops at one of the primary schools in Kenya. Education CS Fred Matiang'i has said that parents are not expected to pay any admission fee for their children joining class one in public primary schools.

Kenyan parents can now breathe easy after Education CS Dr Fred Matiang’i declared that they are not expected to pay any admission fee for their children joining class one in public primary schools.

“Sections 32 of the Basic Education Act, 2012 states that, no person shall while admitting a child to a public school or a basic education institution collect any admission fee,” he said during the 32 Graduation Kagumo Teachers’ College in Nyeri County on Thursday.

2017 fees to remain unchanged

The CS at the same time said the school fees guidelines for the 2017 School Calendar will remain the same as it had been in 2016 School Calendar.

According to the Secondary Fees Guidelines, and with the government capitation of Sh12, 870 for regular schools and Sh32, 600 for special needs schools, the maximum payable fees by parents shall be Sh9, 374 for day schools, Sh53, 553 for boarding schools and Sh37, 210 for special needs schools.

This implies that maximum cost of day schooling is Sh 22, 244 while that of boarding schools stands at Sh66, 424 and Sh69, 810 for special needs secondary schools.

The declaration by the CS comes at time when a study showed that extra levies introduced by schools were denying girls from slums and semi-arid areas an opportunity to pursue their education despite the introduction of free education by the government in 2003.

Stinging report

A report by Education Development Trust dubbed Disadvantaged ‘Girls in Kenyan schools’ indicated that schools still demand extra money for items such as extra morning or evening prep lessons in upper primary, and for exam fees.

Dr Matiang’i said the government would ensure schools followed the fees guidelines to the letter.

“When you ask parents more money than that allowed, we will have a conversation with you,” Dr Matiang’i indicated, in apparent reference to schools that have given fees structure way above the gazetted maximum by the government.

Dennis Tarus