The National Parents Association (NPA) has advised members whose children are still held back at home by lack of fees to take them to school and agree with principals on the payment modalities.
The association’s National Chairman David Silas Obuhatsa said they are shocked by the number of Form One students who have not reported to the schools they were admitted to, noting that school heads are more human now unlike in the past.
“Yes, parents are too poor to afford some of the huge amounts of money being asked by schools. However, this is no reason to keep learners at home. Learners don’t pay fees and the government has always been very clear on this. It is parents’ obligation to meet heads of schools and reach an agreement of how fees should be paid,” said Obuhatsa.
Obuhatsa noted that the government capitation funds have been released to schools and there is adequate funds to cover for those unable to pay fees in the meantime.
He also agreed with the government’s mop-up to ensure a hundred per cent transition to secondary school.
“We are supporting the government that all children must be in class. The term is moving on and we don’t want any child to be left behind,” stated Obuhatsa.
It is reported that about 131,854 learners who were expected to transition to Form One this year were yet to report to secondary schools, with data from the Ministry of Education showing that 1,268,185 out of 1.4 million who sat the 2023 KCPE had reported as at January 26, 2024.
Out of the 701,066 boys, only 642,396 were already in school at that reference point, and only 625,789 out of 693,378 girls had reported.
By Roy Hezron
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