- Kisii Deputy Governor Elijah Obebo has directed principals not to send students home over unpaid fees when schools reopen.
- County data has shown that fee-related absenteeism accounts for about 45 per cent of all cases, with girls disproportionately affected.
- The county government has released more than KSh70 million for Grade 10 students and pledged continued support through NG-CDF and well-wishers.
Kisii County Deputy Governor Elijah Obebo has directed principals of secondary schools not to send home students who have not cleared school fees when learning resumes for the third term.
Obebo issued the directive while addressing school heads and parents during a meeting at Boitangare Ward in Bobasi Constituency, saying the practice of sending learners home over fee balances interrupts their learning and contributes to poor examination performance.
Figures from the county education office show that absenteeism in public secondary schools in Kisii County averages between 12 and 18 per cent per term, with fee-related cases accounting for about 45 per cent of the total. Most affected students miss between two and four weeks per term after being sent home.
Girls are disproportionately affected, making up nearly 60 per cent of those sent home, often missing classes during national examinations and continuous assessment tests. Rural schools record higher absenteeism rates, with some institutions reporting up to one in five students absent on any given day due to fee arrears, transport costs and domestic responsibilities.
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“When a child is sent home repeatedly, they lose continuity. They come back and find the class has moved on. That gap is what gives us poor results at the end of the year,” Obebo said, noting that the repeated interruptions cause learners to miss key topics, fall behind in syllabus coverage and ultimately post lower mean scores in KCSE and internal examinations.
He asked principals to instead consult with parents and agree on gradual payment plans for school fees rather than interrupting learners’ education.
Obebo reiterated the county government’s commitment, in partnership with the national government, to supporting education programmes, citing the recent release of more than KSh70 million to support Grade 10 students across the county. He added that the county government, working with NG-CDF and well-wishers, will continue supporting needy learners to ensure no child drops out of school due to fees.
The Deputy Governor emphasised that keeping students in class throughout the third term is critical for syllabus completion and revision ahead of national examinations.
By Enock Okong’o
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