By Hilton Mwabili
Less than a fortnight after learners from various schools across the country resumed classes after the mid-term break, parents are now scratching their heads over the pressure of extra charges imposed by various school administrations.
A number of the parents are concerned that the pressure to go deeper into their pockets to cough extra funds outside the stipulated fee structure, is way above their financial capabilities considering the current state of inflation which is wrecking financial havoc in homesteads across the country.
The situation, as reported across the country, has sparked concerns to a number of parents, who now want the Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha to intervene and stop students from being sent home for failing to pay remedial levies.
In Kilifi, there are reports that students from different secondary schools who had not cleared their remedial fees are not being allowed to attend lessons despite having cleared their school fees.
In an interview, one of the parents, Joy Philip, expressed her frustration after she could not raise the money to take her daughter back to school since she did not have the remedial fees.
According to Joy, she had used the money she had to clear the school fees.
She said her daughter, a Form Three student, was sent home on the opening day, among other students, for failing to pay the Sh5,500 remedial fees despite clearing her school fees.
The parents appealed to the CS to intervene and save many stranded and frustrated parents who have their students at home for failure to pay remedial fees.
According to the parent, her daughter was instructed by the school bursar to pay Sh5,500 remedial fees, Sh800 for photocopy paper, Sh400 for a spotlight and Sh50 for a broom and a bucket from Inua Dada.
“I feel bad since I am missing out on my lessons, and in fact, I already missed the examinations done at the beginning of the term,” said the student.
Similar sentiments were echoed by Francisca Fondo, who said her daughter who is in Form Two, was forced out of school because she had not bought learning requirements from the school.
“I had bought for my daughter some text books and night dresses as earlier indicated in their letter I received but I was shocked when they declined to admit them, further directing me to purchase the same at the school,” she lamented.
Edward Besada, another parent with a child at Ribe Girls in Kilifi County, said his child came home with instructions that they were required to pay Sh10,000 for construction of new structures to expand the school’s infrastructure.
The amount, Besada says, is to be remitted in installments and be cleared by the end of third term. But there was more.
“The Sh10,000 is not the only headache. We are required as parents to pay around Sh1,500 remedial fees and another amount for Board of Management teachers.
“These figures are astounding because they are just cropping up. They were never included in the fee structure and when I paid the fees I cleared up to Second Term and thought that we were safe. I was wrong….,” Besada cried outg to Education News in Mombasa.
In Mombasa, parents and guardians with their children schooling in different parts of the country are concerned that some of the financial demands from schools are above their weight and the situation could impoverish them if not checked.
“Can you imagine that at a certain high school in Central Kenya we are required to pay an extra Sh40,000 to contribute to the construction of a new dormitory.
“This amount is to be paid in installments,” explained a parent who requested to remain anonymous to avoid victimization of her child.
According to the parent, the students were also required to part with Sh3,000 each for introduction of computer lessons.
“We attended a parents meeting last week on Friday and the school principal announced that Form One parents were required to pay Sh40,000 for the new dormitory,” said the parent, who is a resident of Mombasa.
Efforts to reach the head teacher were futile as he could not return our calls.
Contacted, Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KSSHA) Mombasa branch chair Peter Watoro said he was not aware of any specific case of extra levies.
