Current fees can’t sustain learning institutions – Kessha

Kisii Central Sub-County Kenya Secondary School Heads Association ( Kessha) chairman Nelson Nyakund yesterday appealed to the government to periodically review secondary school fees in line with the economic situation.

He said the cost of food had been rising for the last 12 years but the school fees had not been increased, putting pressure on school heads.

The Nyanchwa Boys High School Chief Principal noted that many parents and guardians are not prepared  to clear school fees on time.

“Parents owe schools billions of shillings fees in arrears. It is difficult to feed students in boarding schools amid the high cost of foodstuff,” Nyakundi (pictured) told People Daily in his office yesterday.

Nyakundi said some parents were unwilling to pay fees under the guise that the government was funding secondary education under the free secondary education programme.

Some parents, the official said, did not differentiate funding of day and boarding school, noting that the government only fully funds day schools.

“It is expensive to maintain students in boarding school unlike their colleagues in day school. The government pays only for tuition.  I urge parents to pay for upkeep of their children in boarding schools” Nyakundi said.  The price of a sack of maize, the official, had increased from Sh3,500 to Sh10,000 while that of beans had risen from Sh9,000 to Sh20,000, noting, schools are unable to pay suppliers of foodstuff, laboratory chemicals, equipment and books.

“If the government can give food, it will ease the burden on school Principals. Parents can only buy uniform for their children,” Nyakundi observed.

He appealed to the government to channel free education funds to schools in time to enable the schools run smoothly.