Parents stretched thin as schools reopen

Schools reopen Monday amid uncertainties and hardships for parents, students, and teachers.

Many parents countrywide spent the weekend shopping after the Christmas and New Year festivities, complaining of increased prices.

Uniform shop operators, bookshop owners, supermarket attendants, and street vendors said business remained slow over the weekend, contrary to expectations.

“The economic situation is very tough, and many parents do not have money to buy school items early,” said Nganga Githenji, a book vendor in Narok.

Seneyia Leposo, a parent, said she opted for second-hand clothing. “The economic times are hard, and I have a Grade Six son at Maasai Mara University Model Primary School.”

“We didn’t celebrate Christmas because there was no money, and it has become a challenge to afford the requirements for our children reporting back to school,” added George Simiyu, a resident of Kwanza in Trans Nzoia.

Jane Nafula said she had sold five hens to buy her son’s requirements, but the proceeds were not even enough to secure the items needed.

“My husband and I are jobless, and we depend on manual jobs to put food on the table,” said Nafula.

At the same time, some parents will have to dig deeper into their pockets following the introduction of more levies by school boards of management.

This comes despite the government disbursing Sh44 billion in capitation to all public schools in the country last week.

Parents will still be compelled to pay salaries for BOM teachers and remedial classes.

Some students have also been ordered to bring items such as glue, reams of printing paper, and exercise books, which will be collected at the school gates.

“Ensure that you pay term one fees so that your child is not sent back home. Parents should also ensure they do enough shopping for their children when they report back to school,” stated a newsletter from one of the schools in Taita Sub-County, Taita Taveta.

The extra levies have drawn protests. “On paper, fees have not increased, but in practice the cost of education has gone up,” said a parent.

“Exercise books are basic learning tools. If schools receive capitation for tuition, parents should not be buying them,” said John Mwakudu, another parent at Mwanyambo Secondary in Mwatate.

Trans Nzoia Parents Association chairperson Wellington Waliaula said the shortage of textbooks has deepened concerns. He noted that in several schools, learners have reportedly been sharing textbooks beyond the recommended ratios, undermining effective learning from the very first week of the term.

A spot check in Bomet and Kericho towns yesterday indicated parents were out shopping. Mercy Langat, shopping for her daughter joining Grade 10, said she decided to shop early to avoid crowding in shops next week.

Mary Kemei said 2025 had been a tough year for most parents. “The price of basic items has gone higher. Even soap and petroleum jelly are becoming a luxury,” she said.

Many parents, most of them small-scale tea farmers, expressed concern over strained finances following what they described as a low tea bonus paid by the Kenya Tea Development Agency.

“We rely on tea farming to pay school fees, but with the current tea bonus, I may be forced to take a loan to educate my children,” said Jackson Koech, a tea farmer in Kericho.

In Nakuru, uniform stores were struggling to stock uniforms for Grade 10 students following changes in school uniforms and logos.

“We are really struggling because schools changed their items, including logos on the Grade 10 uniforms. We are hopeful because we have a week, but we are worried,” said Sanjiv Shah of Shah’s Outfitters.

In West Pokot, ongoing drought could keep many learners away. For communities that largely depend on pastoralism and subsistence farming, the drought has wiped out income sources.

“I used to depend on goats and maize to pay school fees, but the drought has affected livestock,” said Mary Chepurai, a mother of four from Masol.

Another parent, Lokidor Chebon from Kambi Karaya, said he had delayed taking his two children to school as he tried to raise fees from mining.

School administrators say the effects of the drought are already evident.

In Baringo, classrooms at Loromoru Primary School in Arabal location lie in ruins after midnight demolition. The school sits on contested land between the Endorois community and the government following its gazettement in 2016 as Mukutani Forest.

In Laikipia, education stakeholders have called for government assurance of security. Despite last year’s reduction in cases of insecurity, they said this will improve the education status in the region.

“We have seen education status improve in this region due to decreased cases of insecurity. This year, we want to be assured of security,” said Francis Itegi, the Kuppet executive secretary.

Reports by Irrisheel Shanzu, Renson Mnyamwezi, George Sayagie, James Munyeki, Nikko Tanui, Kiprono Kurgat, Osinde Obare, Martin Ndiema and Daniel Chege