Audit of Primary and Secondary Schools To Begin On This Date
Audit of Primary and Secondary Schools To Begin On This Date. The government has launched a comprehensive seven-day audit of schools across the country to take decisive action against institutions that impose unauthorized fees. Headmaster Belio Kipsang stressed that all schools must refrain from instructing parents to pay fees that exceed the allowable secondary school fees. School principals at various levels were warned in advance of the upcoming audit.
President William Ruto recently issued a strong warning to school principals involved in imposing illegal levies on parents. In addition, he directed education ministry leaders to closely monitor the utilization of the Sh67 billion capitation fund released by the national government, including an additional Sh10 billion allocated to the NG-CDF for scholarships and bursaries for needy students.
Asserting the government’s commitment to ensure Kenyan children stay in school, President Ruto said it is a crime for a school principal to send students home for fees as the government is responsible for their education. He warned the principals to introduce additional fees and claimed that the law would catch up with them.
Controversial fees such as incentive, correction, lunch fees and funds to purchase stacked papers were identified. The Ministry of Education consistently issues circulars warning schools against illegal levies, withholding of certificates and unauthorized teaching on weekends and holidays.
Citing relevant sections of the Act, the Circular highlighted Regulation 44 of the Basic Education Act 2013, which prohibits schools from issuing a fee structure other than that approved by the Cabinet Secretary, Section 10(1)(a). b) of the KNEC Act, 2012 on the prohibition of withholding of certificates and § 29 paragraph 1 of the Basic Education Act of 2013 on the prohibition of holiday classes.
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu also issued directives for Grade 7 and 8 pupils to join junior secondary schools hosted by their respective primary schools, use specific classrooms, wear uniforms from Grade 6 and direct schools not to request new classrooms for 8th grade. candidates.
Alarmed by the growing demand for money from some school administrators, President Ruto has stressed the government’s commitment to tackling the problem and expressed disapproval of rogue teachers prioritizing illegal levies over educating pupils.