Parents could soon dig deeper into their pockets to keep their children in school after secondary school principals proposed an increase in fees, arguing that the current funding model is no longer sustainable.
The proposal was tabled during the ongoing Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA) conference in Mombasa, where school heads said rising operational costs and delayed government capitation have left many institutions struggling to stay afloat.
If approved, students in day secondary schools would pay Ksh37,675 annually, while those in county boarding schools would pay up to Ksh87,781 after government subsidies are factored in.
School principals say the fees currently charged in public secondary schools were set in 2015 and no longer reflect the realities schools are facing more than a decade later.
KESSHA National Chairman Willy Kuria told the conference that learning institutions have been operating under increasing financial pressure as the cost of food, utilities, learning materials and other essential services continues to rise.
“The current fees charged in secondary schools were set in 2015, about 11 years ago. It is therefore no longer possible to sustainably run our institutions under the existing framework,” Kuria said.
According to the principals, government capitation, currently set at Ksh22,244 per learner annually, has not kept pace with the actual cost of educating students. They also raised concerns over delays in the release of the funds, saying schools are often forced to operate with huge financial gaps.
Data presented at the conference showed that the annual cost of educating a student in a national school has risen to Ksh110,025. The figure stands at Ksh105,866 for learners in extra-county schools and Ksh87,675 for those in county schools.
Food costs were singled out as one of the biggest challenges facing boarding schools, with the prices of basic commodities climbing steadily over the years.
School heads noted that inflation, the weakening of the shilling and the rising cost of educational resources have significantly increased the cost of running schools since the current fee structure was introduced.
They also argued that the transition to Competency-Based Education (CBE) has placed additional demands on schools, requiring investment in specialised facilities, equipment and learning materials that were not previously needed.
Subjects such as music, home science, theatre and film, electricity and other practical courses require specialised tools and equipment, yet funding allocated to schools has remained largely unchanged.
According to the principals, it is imperative that a review of the funding mechanism be done in order for schools to continue without having problems in fulfilling their responsibilities.
These concerns were seconded by the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), which cited delays in capitation payments as a factor affecting smooth functioning of schools all over the country.
This move is set to cause another debate among the parents who are struggling to cope with the current cost of living. Any increase in school fees will definitely place another financial burden on the families.