This article is from the Nation Newspaper in Nairobi. Education in Kenya is not free for many reasons. As you read you will see why it is important for us to continue our effort in Kenya. Thank you for reading!
Nation Newspaper, July 7, 2014
Education chiefs hold talks on fees
A conference to review the proposed secondary school fees opens in Nairobi this morning.
Former assistant minister for Higher Education Kilemi Mwiria who heads a taskforce on secondary school fees. Dr Mwiria said that the forum will examine the proposed guidelines and give suggestions on how they can be implemented. PHOTO/FILE.
In Summary
- Some national schools charge as much as Sh120,000, locking out children from poor backgrounds.
A conference to review the proposed secondary school fees opens in Nairobi this morning.
In a statement, the chairman of the Task force on Secondary Schools Fees, Dr Kilemi Mwiria, said that the forum will examine the proposed guidelines and give suggestions on how they can be implemented.
The proposed guidelines are to be introduced in schools in January if everything goes according to plan.
The conference at the Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education in Africa in Karen will bring together teachers’ unions, heads of secondary schools, representatives of parents’ associations, county education teams, religious groups, civil society organisations and Ministry of Education officials.
“Our objective is to come up with new guidelines through an inclusive and consultative process and ultimately make education affordable and accessible to all,” Dr Mwiria said.
The team was created in April and tasked with seeking views on ways and means to reduce fees. Although current guidelines stipulate that day schools should charge about Sh13,000 and a maximum for Sh26,000 by national schools annually, most charge three times the recommended fees.
Some national schools charge as much as Sh120,000, locking out children from poor backgrounds.
Schools are also known to insist on parents buying textbooks, stationery and non-essential items like hockey sticks.
Figure not enough
The government provides grants of about Sh10,265 per student every year to subsidise tuition fees in secondary schools, a figure that is likely to go up.
However, school principals have been insisting that the figure is not enough.
In this year’s Budget Statement read by Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich, the government promised to increase the allocation by about 33 per cent.
In a statement, the chairman of the Task force on Secondary Schools Fees, Dr Kilemi Mwiria, said that the forum will examine the proposed guidelines and give suggestions on how they can be implemented.
The proposed guidelines are to be introduced in schools in January if everything goes according to plan.
The conference at the Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education in Africa in Karen will bring together teachers’ unions, heads of secondary schools, representatives of parents’ associations, county education teams, religious groups, civil society organisations and Ministry of Education officials.
“Our objective is to come up with new guidelines through an inclusive and consultative process and ultimately make education affordable and accessible to all,” Dr Mwiria said.
The team was created in April and tasked with seeking views on ways and means to reduce fees. Although current guidelines stipulate that day schools should charge about Sh13,000 and a maximum for Sh26,000 by national schools annually, most charge three times the recommended fees.
Some national schools charge as much as Sh120,000, locking out children from poor backgrounds.
Schools are also known to insist on parents buying textbooks, stationery and non-essential items like hockey sticks.
Figure not enough
The government provides grants of about Sh10,265 per student every year to subsidise tuition fees in secondary schools, a figure that is likely to go up.
However, school principals have been insisting that the figure is not enough.
In this year’s Budget Statement read by Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich, the government promised to increase the allocation by about 33 per cent.
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