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Parents are set to pay more for secondary education if proposals by school principals are adopted by the government.
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The proposals, presented to the Principal Secretary for Basic Education, John Ololtuaa, during the annual 49th KESSHA meeting in Mombasa, call for a review of the current fee structure, which was last updated in 2015.
Parents may soon face higher costs for secondary education if proposals by school principals are adopted by the government.
The proposals, presented to the Principal Secretary for Basic Education, John Ololtuaa, during the annual 49th Kenya Secondary School Principals Association (KESSHA) meeting in Mombasa, call for a review of the current fee structure, which was last updated in 2015. Principals argue that rising inflation and the increasing cost of living have made the existing funding model unsustainable.
KESSHA says government capitation has steadily declined despite an official allocation of Ksh 22,244 per student under the Free Day Secondary Education (FDSE) programme. The association notes that the actual disbursement has dropped to about Ksh15,385.12 in the 2024/2025 financial year, leaving schools underfunded and accumulating debts, including unpaid salaries for non-teaching staff. The association estimates a funding shortfall of about Ksh 22.5 billion this year.
Under the new proposals, annual fees in national schools (Cluster 1) would rise to Ksh 87,781 from Ksh 53,554, after the removal of government funding. KESSHA says the actual cost of educating a student in national boarding schools has risen to about Ksh 110,025 per year.
For extra-county schools (Clusters 2 and 3), the proposed fee would increase to Ksh 83,622 from Ksh 40,535 per student annually. County day schools (Category 4), which are currently free, would introduce fees of about Ksh 7,675 per student per year.
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KESSHA National Chairman Willy Kuria said the current fee guidelines, set through a Ministry of Education circular issued in March 2015, no longer reflect present economic realities. He cited significant increases in the cost of essential goods and services, as well as the depreciation of the Kenyan shilling over the period.
He added that either government funding must be increased or schools should be allowed to adjust fees to match operational costs. He also noted that boarding schools currently spend about Ksh 242 per student per day on meals.
Kuria further argued that while the national budget has expanded significantly in recent years, education financing has not kept pace with rising costs of service delivery.
Teachers’ unions have also raised concerns over funding delays. Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Deputy Secretary General Moses Nthurima faulted the government for inconsistent and delayed capitation releases, saying schools continue to struggle financially.
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In response, Principal Secretary Ololtuaa who attended the meeting acknowledged budgetary constraints affecting the education sector but assured stakeholders that the government would review the financing challenges.
He said the ministry is working closely with school leaders and other stakeholders to improve management of learning institutions.
Ololtuaa also highlighted recruitment of more teachers aimed at strengthening learning and supporting the implementation of the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system. He pledged continued engagement with education stakeholders to develop long-term solutions to challenges facing the sector.
By Obegi Malack
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