School heads propose fee hikes, cite rising costs, funding deficit

Parents with children in public secondary schools may soon have to dig deeper into their pockets if a new proposal by school heads to hike fees is approved.

The proposal, submitted by the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (Kessha), is outlined in a document titled ‘Operational Crisis in Secondary Schools’.

If adopted, it would see fees in secondary schools increase by up to Sh20,000 annually. According to the proposal, parents with children in national schools would be required to pay Sh73,182 per year, an increase from the current Sh53,554. This would mean an extra Sh19,628 for families with children in these schools.

For extra county and county schools, the principals propose that parents pay Sh68,023 annually, up from the current Sh45,554. Additionally, the school heads have called for the introduction of fees in day schools, which the government has previously maintained offer free secondary education. The proposal suggests that students in day schools pay an additional Sh5,372, on top of the Sh22,244 capitation provided by the government.

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Kessha argues that the current school fees, set under government guidelines, no longer reflect the realities of inflation and the rising costs of food, utilities, and essential learning materials. The school heads highlight that the prices of various essential commodities have significantly increased. For example, a ream of photocopy paper, which cost Sh420 in 2015, now costs Sh890, a rise of Sh470. The cost of a 50kg bag of rice, which was Sh3,600 in 2015, now costs Sh7,200, and a 90kg bag of sugar that cost Sh5,000 in 2015 now costs Sh7,800.

“The current capitation of Sh22,244 per learner was last reviewed seven years ago, and it is, therefore, incongruent with the prevailing economic realities,” the school heads stated in the proposal.

They further explained that the cost of essential goods and services has dramatically increased while the capitation has remained stagnant. This has led to significant financial strain on schools, affecting their ability to meet their operational obligations. With the rise in the cost of goods, the document notes that schools have had to ration meals, delay projects, and operate under increasingly strained conditions. The proposal has already been submitted to the Education Cabinet Secretary, Julius Ogamba, for consideration.

The Ministry of Education had previously capped fees at Sh53,554 for national schools and Sh40,535 for county and extra county schools. However, Ogamba has yet to comment on the proposal, despite previously warning school heads against raising fees when schools reopened in January, stating that the 2024 fee structure should remain unchanged.

Parents have expressed outrage at the proposal, with National Parents Association chairman Silas Obuhatsa arguing that any fee increase would place an additional burden on families already grappling with the high cost of living.

The school heads argue that the proposed fee hikes are necessary to address the financial challenges faced by secondary schools, which have been exacerbated by a decline in government funding. As a result of the funding challenges, some headteachers are considering bringing forward the mid-term break to ease the financial pressure. Kessha chairman, Willie Kuria, described the situation as dire, stating that schools are unable to meet their financial obligations due to the delayed disbursement of funds.

“There is only one option: to close schools. School heads can’t provide food for learners. This is a big crisis, and we must make the right decisions,” Kuria said.

A spot check at some schools revealed that many are already sitting mid-term assessments ahead of the break, which is now expected to occur before Friday. Parents in several regions have reported receiving messages instructing them to pick up their children early.