Fee balances weaken secondary school operations

Kenya Secondary School Heads Association Chairman Indimuli Kahi addresses journalists concerning teachers' salary structure, at Weston Hotel on July 20, 2019. He has complained that parents are not committed to clearing fee balances. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Several principals in Kakamega said parents should be made to sign contracts with schools, binding them to make prompt payments.
  • Under Free Secondary Education scheme, every learner receives Sh22,244 per annum. Parents are not required to pay an extra coin for day scholars.

As most schools closed for August holidays on Friday, principals are grappling with a financial crisis owing to fee balances.

The Saturday Nation has learnt that parents owe some schools as much as Sh20 million.

Boarding schools are the most affected, with parents required to supplement the government’s Free Secondary Education disbursement, which only caters for tuition.

A head teacher at a girls school in Makueni County said parents must clear fees if they expect operations to run smoothly.

She said because of the huge balances, the boarding school finds it difficult to pay suppliers.

Another principal in Murang’a said parents owe his school Sh13 million. “The situation is grave. We may end up incurring more debts if things do not improve,” he said.

LEGAL ACTION

Several principals in Kakamega said parents should be made to sign contracts with schools, binding them to make prompt payments.

They said involving lawyers would make it easy to get fees from parents. “Those who fail to honour their contracts should face the law,” Koyonzo Boys Secondary School head Boaz Atid told the Saturday Nation, adding that the school is owed Sh9.5 million by parents.

“Those with children in Form Four owe us Sh4 million,” he said.

Malava Boys High School head John Wakwabubi said fee arrears total Sh19 million.

In Mumias East Sub-County, Lubinu Boys High School Principal Peter Omutiti asked parents to settle the Sh4 million they owe the institution.

Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association chairman Kahi Indimuli said many parents are deliberately frustrating principals by not meeting their obligations.

“Since the government directed schools not to send students home for fees, it has become difficult for heads to collect the much needed money,” Mr Indimuli said.

ALLOCATIONS

He added that parents mostly give empty promises every time they are asked to settle the balances.

“Running a school on an empty purse is not easy. Most principals rely on the goodwill of suppliers, hoping to settle the bills when funds become available,” Mr Indimuli said.

The delay by the government in releasing FSE funds for second term has compounded the already grim situation.

In May, the government released Sh14.5 million to public primary and secondary schools.

The disbursement accounted for just 15 per cent of the FSE allocation, with the balance expected this month.

Under FSE scheme, every learner receives Sh22,244 per annum. Parents are not required to pay an extra coin for day scholars.

For national and extra county schools in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nyeri, Thika and Eldoret, the government provides Sh22,244 per learner. Parents are required to pay Sh53,554, bringing the total to Sh75,798.

A student in a category B boarding and extra country school in other areas receives Sh22,244 from the government while parents pay Sh40,535.

BURSARY

Mr Indimuli said many children from poor backgrounds depend on constituency and county bursaries.

He however added that this had not solved the problem as most receive as little as Sh2,000.

Mr Indimuli said heads have been pushing to have bursary funds consolidated and to be released by one office to ensure only needy students benefit.

When he appeared before the National Assembly Committee on Education last month, Cabinet Secretary George Magoha said parents have no choice but to clear fee balances.

The committee had pressed the minister to order schools to release academic certificates for thousands of students withheld over fee balances.

Prof Magoha said parents who have the capacity to pay and have not done so should be listed with the Credit Reference Bureau.

National Parents Association chairman Nicholas Maiyo said the organisation is sensitising its members to meet their obligations.