Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Prof. George Magoha has ordered school principals not to allow students who have fees arrears back to school as they report from their mid-term break.
Magoha said the Ministry is aware that the majority of parents who are yet to clear school fees arrears for their children are indeed capable, but were just taking advantage of the current economic situation in the country to pretend otherwise.
He said exemptions should only be granted to those students that the school principals understand for sure that they come from poor families and those whose parents have lost their jobs during this Covid-19 period.
The CS was speaking at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) on Monday during the handing over ceremony of the Agricultural Laboratory Building Annex to the University.
Magoha said school principals should first confirm the backgrounds of the learners before sending them home to collect fees balances. The CS was joined by the Japanese Ambassador to Kenya Amb. Ryoichi Horie grace.
The occasion was mainly set for the handing over of the ALB building Annex to Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Kiambu County.
“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 2.8 billion capitations for primary schools and another Sh 6.5 billion for free secondary school education. Magoha said the remaining Sh6.5 billion for the free secondary school programme will be released soon.
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 the ministry has enough face masks which will be distributed 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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