The Governors Gang Against Govt Decision on parents Paying Fees Via E-citizen
The Governors Gang Against Govt Decision on parents Paying Fees Via E-citizen. Council of Governors (COG) Education Committee Chairman and Kericho Governor Eric Mutai has called on the government to suspend the directive on school fee payments through eCitizen until clear guidelines are laid down.
On February 6, Mutai stressed the need for comprehensive structures to guide parents and teachers during the ongoing school reopening, expressing concern over potential confusion.
Mutai questioned the organization behind the directive and stressed the importance of raising awareness among the public. He suggested that the Education Principal Secretary, Belio Kipsang, proactively spread the word to avoid negative perception among Kenyans.
Mutai stressed the need for improved structures and criticized the timing of the directive given that schools were already operational. He stressed the need for the government to clarify the directive through eCitizen profiling, ensure parents understand the reasons behind the changes, and provide assistance to those struggling to pay fees.
While acknowledging past problems with similar directives, Mutai praised the goal of consolidating government revenue for transparency and effective planning. The directive issued on January 31 directs national schools to use the eCitizen platform for fee payments, starting with the government-designated payment account number 222222.
Principals were instructed to provide bank account details for review prior to implementation. Plans to expand the payment system to more schools across the country were announced by Immigration Chief Secretary Julius Bitok on February 5, with a phased rollout starting with national schools and later expanding to other district and district schools.
At the same time, a petition challenging the legality of the directive and other orders requiring payment for government services through eCitizen was filed by Dr. Magare Gikenyi, a Nakuru medical practitioner. Dr. Gikenyi argued that the guidelines lacked legality and public participation, particularly protesting the Ksh50 fee imposed on the platform.