By Kiplat Kapusia
West Pokot County Governor John Lonyangapuo has challenged head teachers in his county to allow parents to pay school fees using other means.
Governor Lonyangapuo said that school heads should allow parents to pay fees in the form of animals and foodstuffs among others.
“Those parents who don’t have money should be allowed to pay school fees using goats, chicken or whatever they have in their homes. In other schools it works very well. School principals should emulate that.” he said
Prof Lonyangapuo said that one of his manifestos is to ensure all children are in school.
He released Sh138 million Bursary Kitty in an event attended by all secondary schools head teachers from West Pokot County and the money adds to the Sh10, 000 disbursed earlier in the 1st trench for boarders making it Sh20, 000 in total, per student.
A total of 51 secondary schools from hardship areas with less than 100 students received Sh20,000 for each student during the 1st tranche and all day schools students received Sh 7,000 per student.
The Bursary programme has led to a record increase in school enrollment, retention and transition rates whereby in 2017, there were only 23, 000 students in secondary school but the robust ‘Bursary For All’ programme has increased secondary enrollment to 70, 000.
He noted that the biggest problem facing parents in the county is that they don’t have the capacity to pay fees since they are and have many children.
“They marry many wives and give birth to many children, hence difficult to maintain their families,” Prof Lonyangapuo pointed out.
He called on head teachers to be fair by not adding any extra shilling that the government has not recommended.
“Why should they add extra fees, it is a burden to parents in the area,” he said.
He observed that Kenyans pay tax to pay teachers and should not be double required to pay supplementary tuition and should not be taxed further.
The governor urged head teachers should follow the government guidelines on school fees.
He called on head teachers of schools, tertiary colleges and other higher education institutions to allow learners to stay in schools as parents continue looking for fees., they should be allowed to pay in bits throughout the year.
“Covid -19 affected many families, school fees can be paid anytime from January to November because it must be said,” he said. He cited that school managers should look for alternative means to sustain the schools to make sure that parents are given humble time to look for school fees.
He pointed out that sending learners back home for school fees disrupts learning and has lowered the education standards in the county.
