Magoha directs parents to clear third term school fees

Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha yesterday accused some parents of taking advantage of his directive to head teachers to be considerate to the financial situation of some parents when demanding school fees.

Magoha said some financially stable parents had deliberately taken advantage of his instructions not to pay fees.

“Parents who are yet to pay the balance of their third term school fees, please pay up without further delay. A majority who are not paying fees can afford to pay,” he said.

He, however, urged school heads to ensure that the children they send home to collect fees are not from  poor families or whose parents lost jobs due to Covid crisis.

“This is the last half of third term of the year and many parents have taken advantage of the pandemic.

The principals should be able to confirm whether a child is from a poor background and those should be retained otherwise school heads should now feel free to use any means to ensure people who have not paid fees do so,” he said.

Transfer cost

The CS made the remarks at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (Jkuat) when he presided over the handover of the multi-million-shilling Agricultural Laboratory (ALB) building which was funded by the Japanese International Corporation Agency.

The Ministry has previously asked parents, especially those with children in boarding school, to pay school fees to allow for smooth running of schools.

Notwithstanding the economic situation brought by Covid, the ministry said, there was need for schools to continue operating.

“For you to be in a boarding school, you have to take a meal, pay for water, electricity and that is a transfer cost,” it said in a statement.

Schools yesterday resumed after half term break amid a tight schedule to complete the syllabus in the remaining few weeks.

With the five weeks left for third term, teachers have to be innovative to clear the syllabus and spare time for learners to sit for exams, as they prepare to transit to the next classes in July.

Third term will to run until July 16 while the new academic calendar, the first term for 2021, will commence on July 26.

At the same time, Magoha has disclosed that the government had released Sh9.3 billion to schools.

Form One selection

Of the amount, Sh2.8 billion will be disbursed to primary schools while secondary schools will receive Sh6.5 billion.

He said the government will disburse Sh6.5 billion more  to secondary schools. The ministry, he added, had provided enough face masks for learners who may not afford them.

Magoha also said the Form One selection was on course and there was no cause for alarm.

He said the exercise was fair and priority will be given to bright students from a poor background.

The Form One selection is scheduled for June 15, about two months after the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination results were announced.

The Ministry has also assured that it will implement the 100 per cent transition policy, which will see the over 1.2 million candidates who sat the KCPE exam join secondary school.

Meanwhile, Jkuat Vice Chancellor Victoria Ngumi lauded the Agricultural Laboratory Building project which was implemented by both Japanese and Kenyan governments.

She said the building was crucial for the research-based institution.

“With the growth of research in the university, masters, doctorate students and post doctorates, the university required more space and that is why we put up this building with a big laboratory and classrooms space,” she said.

She said post graduate agriculture students will occupy the new building.

“JICA funded us with approximately Sh70 million to put up the facility and the Kenyan government gave the labour including the architects and civil engineers who came from Jkuat,” she said.