Education Lobby Demands Schools End Illegal Fees, Protect Students, Ensure Students Stay in School.
As Kenyan schools prepare to reopen on Monday, April 28, the Elimu Bora Working Group (EBWG) has raised concerns, revealing that 90 per cent of schools continue to charge admission fees illegally, defying the Kenyan Constitution.
In a press statement issued on Sunday, April 27, the group outlined five key demands directed at stakeholders, including Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, who was called upon to eliminate unlawful levies and safeguard parents and guardians from further financial exploitation.
EBWG insisted that the Education CS must enforce strict measures against school heads and county education directors found guilty of imposing these illegal charges. According to the group, “The CS must also take stern action against any school heads and county directors of education found culpable of enforcing unlawful levies.”
The second demand urged parents to refuse payment of any illegal fees, while the third insisted that students sent home over non-payment must be immediately readmitted without conditions.
Additionally, the group called for all schools to visibly display their approved capitation-only fee structures, warning that any institution that failed to comply should face consequences.
EBWG further demanded that the current government must refrain from pushing for the privatisation of education. They stated that the William Ruto administration “must instead adequately fund public schools, covering basic needs, learning materials, and activities.”
Survey Reveals Widespread Violations
The press release disclosed findings from a survey conducted between March and April across 370 public primary and junior secondary schools, highlighting the widespread nature of these illegal practices.
Despite clear constitutional and legal mandates that basic education should be free and compulsory, EBWG revealed that the government continues to tolerate unlawful charges in public schools. They emphasized that as the second term of 2025 begins, failure by the Education CS to intervene would mean ongoing exploitation of parents and students.
The survey, which included feedback from parents and guardians, sampled at least one school per county to expose the deep-rooted issue of illegal levies enforced by school principals.
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Illegal charges were predominantly imposed under various guises, including admission fees, payments for desks, lockers, books, reams of paper, development projects, remedial and extra lessons, co-curricular activities, and examinations. A parent lamented that, “Even buying a locker is mandatory before a child steps into class.”
Admission fees alone varied dramatically, ranging from Ksh500 to as high as Ksh25,000, with urban schools demanding higher amounts.
The consequences of these levies are severe, with 87.5 per cent of the surveyed schools admitting that students unable to pay were sent home. This practice significantly increases the risk of school dropouts, as most affected parents cannot afford these additional costs. One guardian shared, “Many of us are forced to choose between feeding our families and paying these illegal fees.”
Education Lobby Demands Schools End Illegal Fees, Protect Students, Ensure Students Stay in School.
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