Never send learners home for school fees- Education Ministry tells Principals

Headteachers have been advised not to send away national examination candidates for fees in Tana River to ensure the syllabus is completed on time ahead of the examinations.

Khalif Hassan, County Director of Education, said they have issued a directive to school heads against sending away students over fees arrears.

The Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) will be conducted from 28 November to 30 November, while the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination will run from 21 November to 23 December.

“This term there are national examinations, KCPE we have registered 8641, KCSE 2511, and KPSEA for grade six learners 9605 candidates. We have encouraged head teachers through Sub-County Education Officers not to send them home due to lack of fees. They should stay in school and prepare for exams,’’ said the County Director of Education.

He added that all candidates who have registered for the national examinations must sit for all their papers.

“The era when a person registers for exams and then disappears until the day of the exams is long gone, fees should not be an obstacle,’’ he said.

Many parents in Galole constituency are in limbo over the fate of bursaries from the Constituency Development Fund since the apex court in August declared the CDF ACT 2013 unconstitutional.

Galole MP Said Hiribae had promised to continue with his programme of paying all the fees for secondary school students, parents were not paying a dime.

The County Director of Educate said the programme has helped to retain students in school. Students who are in secondary school are approximately 13000. “We encourage students to stay in school,” said Educate Director.

We want to thank Galole constituency MP, there are 11 secondary schools. Boarding school fees CDF used to pay Ksh35, 000 and Ksh15, 000 for day schools.

If the CDF issue is not sorted out it will affect those who are in boarding schools since they will have to be admitted to day school,’’ explained Khalif Hassan.