CS Magoha gives new guidelines on school fees arrears

Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha has instructed school principals not to allow students who have fees arrears back to school as they report from their mid-term break.

Prof. Magoha said the Ministry is aware that majority of parents who are yet to clear school fees arrears for their children are indeed capable, but were only taking advantage of the current financial situation in the country to pretend otherwise.

He said exemptions should only be accorded to those students that the school principals know for sure that they come from poor families and those whose parents have lost their jobs during this Covid-19 period.

Speaking at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) during the handing over ceremony of Agricultural Laboratory Building Annex to the University, the CS said school principals should first confirm the backgrounds of the students before they send them home to collect fees balances.

“Our population is very interesting because we know that well-off parents have failed to pay school fees for the third term, pretending that they are suffering during this pandemic period. Your children will not be allowed back to class if you will not have cleared school fees. However, if you come from needy families, the head-teachers will listen to your case,” he said.

This comes even as the government recently released Sh 2.8billion capitation for primary schools and another Sh 6.5billion for free secondary school education.

Magoha said the remaining Sh6.5 billion for the free secondary school programme will be released in the near future.

He added that as the schools reopen from mid-term, education officials will move around to ensure students continue to provide and comply with Covid-19 protocols.

The CS said they have enough face masks which they will be distributing to needy schools to help in containing the virus.

On Form one selection, Prof. Magoha said the exercise is ongoing and before June 15, students will start receiving admission letters.

“We have ensured that there is absolute fairness in Form one selection especially for intelligent and poor children from slum areas. By mid this month, all students who sat for KCPE will know the secondary schools that they have been called to pursue their education,” he said.

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