Starting January 2023, parents with children in secondary schools will have to part with more money after the government ended fee subsidies for public schools.
Parents who are already feeling the pinch of harsh economic times, the move will be a big setback.
Students in national and extra-county schools will pay from present Ksh45,000 up to Ksh53,000.
Those with children in public secondary schools outside the towns of Nairobi, Eldoret, Nakuru, Mombasa, Nyeri and Thika will pay from current Ksh 35,000 up to Ksh40,000.
At these festive season as parents enjoy the Christmas and New Year holidays, they are advised to factor in additional fees ranging between Ksh5,535 and Ksh8,500.
Equally, children in Special Needs Secondary Schools will pay from initially Ksh10,860 up to Ksh12,790 per year.
The stipend ended by the government entails top grant of Ksh12,510 to cater for assertive devices and any other additional personnel needed and Ksh19,053 for boarding equipment and stores.
The government had previously subsidised the fee parents were paying in school calendar of 2021/2022, noting that it had only thirty weeks instead of the usual 39.
However, the state will provide a Ksh22, 224 subsidy for each learner in a boarding school equal to those in a day school,if their will be strict adherence to the govts free day secondary school education policy.
This includes tuition fee, for which the government allocated Ksh4,144, Ksh1500 for activity,medical insurance Ksh2,000, and Ksh200 for strengthening mathematics and science in secondary education (SMASSE).
David Obuhatsa,National Parents Association chairperson, however, urged the government to consider parents’ challenges.He stated that since the Covid, parents have been through difficult times, most especially in these hard economic.
The chairperson urged the government not to strain parents further.
A parent at the Lwak Girls’ Secondary School in Siaya, complained that the country was still recovering from drought, the General Elections and the effects of the pandemic.
Education PS,Julius Jwan confirmed that,given that academic calendar reverts to 39 weeks from 30 weeks for the academic year that commence January 23, parents will continue to pay the approved fees.
According to the new calendar,
Term one: January 23,2023 – April 21, 2023.
Second term; May 8 2023 – August 11 2023, followed by a two-week holiday.
Students will break for 3 days half-term: 29/6/2023 – 2/7/2023.
End-term holiday running between August 12 2023 – 27/8/2023.
Third term will commence on
28/8/2023 – 3/11/2023.
