By John Majau
Principals in day secondary schools within the Meru County have been instructed to immediately refund all the fees they might have charged and received from the parents or else risk facing disciplinary actions.
County Commissioner Wilfred Nyagwanga also directed all the education officials, deputy county commissioners, chiefs and their assistants to ensure that the principals in their area of jurisdiction comply with the order in a bid to attain the Government set goal of 100 per cent transition rate from the primary to secondary school education level.
“We want 100 per cent transition from the primary to secondary education level and the best way to achieve this is by ensuring that no fee is charged in all the day secondary schools. If any parent has paid any levy and especially the lunch fees it should be refunded with immediate effect. Stern disciplinary action will be taken against any school head who defy the directive,” said the county commissioner.
Nyagwanga warned parents with children in day secondary schools against paying even a single cent including money meant for the feeding programme.
The administrator was reacting to claims by parents who were alleging that some Day Secondary School principals were sending away students who have not paid the lunch levies.
Nyagwanga assured all the education stakeholders that funds for the free secondary school programme were already in the school accounts.
“All the 33,424 candidates in Meru who did their KCPE last year must all migrate to secondary schools. Nobody including those who were pregnant during the examination period will be allowed to repeat the examination in a move meant to ensure that the country attains it set goals.
He said the latest circular was clear that the Government had relieved parents of the burden of paying school fees in day secondary schools by increasing the money per student from Sh 9,370 to Sh22, 444 per student per year.
On his part the County Quality and Standards officer Chabari Bururia said: “So far we have not received any report on parents in day secondary schools being charged any money or being turned away for non-payment.”
