President William Ruto has called on the leadership of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) to persuade school principals to adopt the e-Citizen platform for payment of school fees.
Speaking during a national education conference in Naivasha on Thursday, President Ruto questioned why schools continue to issue paper receipts for fees, saying the practice undermines transparency.
“Help us. Why do you want to continue writing receipts on pieces of paper of exercise books where nobody can trace them?” he asked.
The President argued that manual fee payments reduce accountability and are prone to manipulation or loss in the event of disasters. He emphasized that digital payments improve transparency and efficiency in the education sector.
Ruto also highlighted the convenience for parents, noting that eCitizen allows them to pay school fees from home without traveling long distances.
“I have made a strategic decision that we do not want to deal in cash in this administration because cash is very sticky,” he said.
ALSO READ:
Schools football rivalry to take center stage at Safaricom Chapa Dimba in Kisumu
The President further called on education sector leaders to be accountable, noting that the sector receives the largest portion of the national budget, with allocations exceeding Ksh 700 billion.
The push for eCitizen payments comes after legal hurdles. The High Court had previously ruled against the government’s directive to have school fees paid exclusively through the platform. The government subsequently filed an appeal seeking a stay of the ruling.
Appellate judges cautioned that overturning the High Court decision could sanction the continued collection of illegal fees from the public.
The dismissal of the stay application means the High Court orders remain in effect, and the government cannot compel schools to adopt eCitizen for fee payments unless a higher court rules otherwise.
The eCitizen platform, widely used for government services such as passport applications, business registration, driving licenses, and tax payments, is part of the administration’s drive to digitalize public service delivery.
By Obegi Malack
You can also follow our social media pages on Twitter: Education News KE and Facebook: Education News Newspaper for timely updates.
>>> Click here to stay up-to-date with trending regional stories
>>> Click here to read more informed opinions on the country’s education landscape
