Across Kenya, parents are being squeezed from every angle, forced to pay inflated prices for uniforms, supplies, and even school fees, while overloaded and overpriced transport makes getting to school a daily struggle. In some cases, children are being denied admission simply because their families cannot meet these exploitative demands. From collusion with tailors to unrealistic supply lists, doubled prices, sold vacancies, and additional levies imposed by school boards, the system meant to educate is increasingly locking learners out. As families struggle to keep their children in school, the question arises: when education becomes a business, who really pays the price?
Parents across many schools are increasingly speaking out against practices that place unnecessary financial burdens on them. What was once a simple requirement, school uniforms or modest contributions for supplies, has, in some cases, turned into a system of exploitation. Some school heads and teachers collude with uniform tailors, inflating prices or demanding multiple sets of uniforms, often under the guise of promoting school identity and discipline. While these requirements are justified as essential, the reality is that many families are paying far more than necessary for items that serve little purpose beyond generating income for a select few.
Equally troubling are the unrealistic and unnecessary demands placed on parents. Parents recount being asked to provide items such as hockey sticks, farm implements, or specialised kits, sometimes for years, yet these items are never actually used. For some families, these demands are not just inconvenient; they are a barrier. Parents who cannot afford the costs face difficult choices, and in extreme cases, children risk being locked out of school altogether. Such practices directly threaten the very principle of universal education. Every child deserves access to learning, yet exploitative policies turn financial capacity into a gatekeeper, leaving the most vulnerable learners at a disadvantage before they even set foot in a classroom.
The impact of these practices goes beyond money. Trust between parents and schools erodes when families realize that management is prioritising profit over the welfare of students. Children from less privileged backgrounds are especially affected; they may feel excluded or stigmatised if their families cannot meet arbitrary or inflated demands. Meanwhile, teachers and heads who should champion learning sometimes become enforcers of systems designed to profit from families rather than nurture students. Schools, which should be safe and inspiring environments, risk becoming marketplaces where the most vulnerable are exploited.
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Collusion with tailors is one of the more visible forms of this exploitation. Parents report being told that only certain suppliers can provide uniforms, often at prices far higher than the market average. When questioned, school officials may claim it ensures consistency or quality, but investigations frequently reveal secret arrangements: commissions, kickbacks, or other benefits going to school staff. Families are pressured to comply, and children from families that resist or cannot afford the inflated costs may face indirect penalties, ranging from exclusion from school events to outright denial of enrollment. This is not just unfair, it is unethical and, in many cases, illegal under education policy.
Equally egregious are demands for items that have no practical use. From sports equipment to farm implements, laboratory apparatus, or specialised notebooks, schools have asked parents to provide supplies that remain untouched. Beyond wasting resources, such practices convey a troubling message: that the school prioritises financial gain over thoughtful educational planning. Parents feel deceived, children remain unaffected, and the school’s credibility suffers. Worst of all, children whose families cannot meet these demands may miss learning opportunities entirely, effectively being locked out of the education system.
The exploitation extends beyond schools. At the start of every term, some traders take advantage of parents’ urgency and double the prices of school items, from stationery to uniforms, claiming high demand justifies inflated costs. Families are forced to pay more for essentials, further straining already tight household budgets. Meanwhile, many learners rely on public transport to reach school, yet operators often overload vehicles and increase fares, prioritising profit over safety and affordability. Children are sometimes crammed into unsafe conditions, and families are forced to pay higher costs for basic transportation. For some, the combination of overpriced supplies and inflated transport costs forces impossible choices; parents may delay or even forgo sending their children to school. Once again, learners are the ones who pay the price for exploitative systems.
Adding to this burden is the shocking practice of selling school vacancies. In some schools, reports have emerged of teachers, with or without the knowledge of principals, selling admission slots to parents at exorbitant costs. A child’s placement is no longer determined by merit, proximity, or eligibility, but by how much a parent is willing or forced to pay. Families that cannot meet these demands are effectively locked out of school, even when they have the right to enrol their children. Such practices are deeply unethical, illegal under education regulations, and a blatant form of profiteering that exploits parents’ desire to provide education for their children.
Exploitation does not stop there. Some school boards impose additional levies, often labelled as “development fees,” “activity fees,” or “maintenance levies.” While these are sometimes justified as supporting infrastructure or extra programs, many are arbitrary, excessive, and poorly accounted for. What is more, these levies must often be fully settled before any admission is processed, making a child’s place in school contingent on the ability of parents to pay. Families who cannot meet these levies are often forced to delay enrollment, risk losing vacancies, or are entirely locked out of the system. Such practices deepen inequality and directly threaten the principle of free and universal education, as children are denied access before they even begin school.
The consequences ripple through the entire education ecosystem. Families burdened with unreasonable costs may struggle to afford other essentials books, meals, or even basic fees. Children may feel shame among peers or hesitate to participate in school activities, which affects both their self-esteem and learning outcomes. When parents feel exploited, they are less likely to engage positively with school programs, widening the divide between educators and the very community they rely on. Education becomes a privilege for those who can pay, not a right for every child.
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Some argue that schools need extra resources to improve learning, and parental contributions are necessary. While it is true that schools often face funding challenges, there is a vast difference between reasonable support and exploitation. Legitimate contributions are transparent, necessary, and directly tied to student welfare. Exploitative demands, by contrast, are opaque, unnecessary, and often serve the interests of a few rather than the many. Transparency and accountability are essential to protect families and learners.
So, what can be done to stop this cycle of exploitation? Schools must be transparent about all requirements, from uniforms to supplies. Each item requested should have a clear purpose and a fair cost. Parent-Teacher Associations and school boards should actively vet these requests, ensuring that they are necessary and that suppliers are selected fairly. Education authorities must enforce policies that prevent profiteering, including audits to hold school management accountable. Parents should have the freedom to purchase from approved suppliers, and schools must report on how collected items are used, providing proof that donations benefit students directly.
Equally important is establishing safe channels for whistleblowers. Parents and students must be able to report unfair practices without fear of retaliation. Whether it is an inflated uniform contract, unnecessary supplies, doubled prices, unsafe transport, sold vacancies, or mandatory levies, there must be mechanisms to expose exploitation and hold the responsible parties accountable. Only with transparency, oversight, and accountability can schools regain the trust of parents and communities and ensure that no child is excluded from learning due to financial exploitation.
The larger issue is not simply financial; it is moral. Education is meant to equip children with knowledge and skills, nurture their curiosity, and prepare them for the future. Exploitative practices, whether through collusion with suppliers, unrealistic demands, inflated transport and trader costs, sale of school vacancies, or mandatory levies, betray that responsibility. They fail children and the families who support schools, turning the education system into a barrier rather than a pathway to opportunity.
Parents, educators, and authorities alike must take a firm stance. Exploitative practices are unacceptable, and the time for reform is long overdue. Families deserve fairness, learners deserve access, and schools must be reminded that their role is to serve the community, not profit from it. By insisting on transparency, demanding accountability, and protecting the rights of parents and children, communities can ensure schools fulfill their true purpose.
Education is too important to be compromised by greed or mismanagement. Unrealistic and unused demands, collusion with suppliers, doubled prices, unsafe or overpriced transport, the sale of school vacancies, and mandatory levies must end. Every child deserves access to learning in an environment that is fair, supportive, and focused on growth. Every parent deserves the assurance that their contributions are used responsibly, not exploited for profit. Schools exist for the children, not the pockets of a few.
The time for reform is now. Parents, educators, school management, traders, transport operators, and education authorities all have a role to play in ensuring that children are never denied the classroom or left behind because of unfair financial demands. Learners deserve opportunity, protection, and fairness, and it is our collective responsibility to guarantee that schools uphold those principles.
By Hillary Muhalya
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