Learners return to school today after a short mid-term break amid outcry by parents over extra levies charged by some schools.
Many parents are decrying what they termed as extra burdens imposed by schools, which they say have been done in total disregard of the current high inflation rate.
“Can you imagine that, at Murang’a High School, we are required to pay an extra Sh40,000 for construction of a new dormitory. This amount is to be paid by each student in installments,” said a parent who sought anonymity for fear that her child could be victimized by the school for questioning the levies.
The levies have caught many parents by surprise, considering the sorry state of the economy. According to the parent, the pupils are also required to return from mid-term today with Sh3,000 each for computer classes.
“We attended a parents’ meeting last Friday and the school principal announced that Form One parents are required to pay Sh40,000 for a new dormitory.

Many parents have protested the move but the school principal will hear none of it,” said the parent who resides in Mombasa. Efforts to reach the head teacher on phone were unsuccessful, as our calls went unanswered.
Edward Besada, another parent whose child is a student at Ribe Girls in Kilifi County, said the school is levying Sh10,000 for construction of new buildings. The amount, Besada said, is to
be remitted in installments and be cleared by the end of third term. But there is more.
“The Sh10,000 is not the only headache we have. We are required, as parents, to pay around Sh1,500 remedial fees and another cash amount for Board of Management teachers … These figures were never included in the fees structure,” Besada explained.

After mid-term break, parents are to pay for computer lessons, new buildings and old debts

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Contacted, Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (Kessha) Mombasa branch chairman Peter Watoro said he was not aware of any case of extra levies charged by schools in the area.
He, however, said most of the levies charged are normally discussed in parents’ meetings, approved by BOMs and the requests sent to the County Education director who then forwards
it to the national offices.

“Such cases are normally on a need basis. The parents are summoned for discussion and a decision is reached,” Watoro explained.
Last Thursday, form one parents at Upper Hill School in Nairobi County protested extra levies imposed on them as learners left for the mid-term break. The money, was to offset past debts.
“Each student is to pay Sh6,000 in 2022. These monies will go towards offsetting theca cumulated creditors from 2015-2019, which have risen to Sh30.4 million,” reads a note to
the parents.

Secondary school students have been pushed to the edge by a demanding crash programme, leading to an undesirable wave of student unrest across the country.

This forced School heads, who were blaming the unrests on the ministry of education, to demand for a half-term break to ease the pressure caused by the tight schedule which was introduced to make up for the time lost during the six-month closure of schools last year. Whereas other terms since school reopening have had, this doesn’t have any.

“Children have a tendency of asking for certain things in certain ways. We shouldn’t wait for other schools to be burnt down before we approve a break.We had not envisaged this, but when you see the escalation even in schools with no such a history, there’s a problem. Such a wave can become contagious,” said Kahi Indimuli, the chairperson of the Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (Kessha).

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“We’ve written to the Ministry of Education, requesting a break because it’s necessary based on the information we’re getting from our members,” said Indimuli, hours before the ministry released a circular on half term break.

Indimuli also demanded for the resumption of co-curricular activities like games, drama and music, which were suspended as measures to stop the spread of Covid-19.

“We forgot that we have students who have a lot of energy and they look forward to participating in these events,” argued Indimuli.

So far unrests and fire incidences  have been recorded at Buruburu Girls’ High in Nairobi County, Chavakali High School in Vihiga County, Gendia Boys High in Homa Bay County, Molo Academy in Nakuru county, Dr Krapf Memorial (Kilifi), St Peter’s Abwao Secondary (Migori), Sigalame Boys High (Busia), Kanjuri High (Nyeri), St Ignatius Mukumu Boys Secondary (Kakamega), Amasago Boys Secondary in Kisii County and Keveye Girls High (Vihiga). 24 learners from two schools in Nyeri county have also been arraigned on charges of arson and/or possession of drugs.

On his part, the secretary-general of the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet), Mr Akelo Misori, has singled out over-enrolment in boarding schools as a possible cause of disciplinary issues.

“Are boarding schools still relevant? We’ve insisted on boarding schools but failed to provide sufficient infrastructure,” he argued.

According to Misori, 100 per cent transition policy, although commendable, has not been matched with infrastructure expansion.

“Schools are congested. Teachers don’t even know their students and in such a case, it’s difficult to monitor their discipline. You can’t have peace when they queue to have lunch, use the toilet and even to shower,” he said.