An investigation by The Standard has uncovered a troubling trend of public secondary schools blatantly disregarding government-imposed fee caps, forcing struggling parents to bear unauthorised financial burdens.

The Standard has revealed widespread breaches in the fees charged by public secondary schools, with principals demanding exorbitant amounts far beyond the legally established limits. Shockingly, some of the country’s top national schools are among the offenders, defying government warnings against illegal fee charges.

A school fees structure obtained by The Standard for Mangu High School shows that the institution is charging Sh99,636 as annual fees in 2025— a clear violation of the Sh53,554 cap set for national schools.