By Amoto Ndiewo
A human rights group wants the national government to open up the economy which has burdened parents since the outbreak of Covid-19.
Womankind Kenya Director Abdullah Mohamed said 70% of parents in Tana River County are not able to foot the school fees due to the high cost of living.
Mohamed pleaded that no child ought to be sent home because of fee arrears as parents were only given a week to raise over Ksh 20,000 under the crippled economy.
‘’Leaders ought to push the government to subsidise the education requirements and this must be done in earnest as small businesses which used to sustain people have closed doors, ’’ he reiterated.
Farah Dakota, a parent in Madogo, said it was unacceptable that school heads raise school fees despite knowing the burden parents undergo.
‘’Currently I can’t take my child back to school knowing too well that I didn’t foot the arrears for last term. I have to clear the balance,’’said Dakota who has a child joining form one.
Mohamed said the parents are appealing to the government to rescue them by further reducing the school fees.
Tana River County Education chief Joseph Nyaga on the other hand, said the parents were given the school calendar a long time ago and they ought to have prepared within the scope.
School heads have also found themselves in a tough situation with the ministry asking them to keep students in school without fees and their service providers demanding to be paid their arrears.
