CS MAGOHA TALKS ABOUT SCHOOL FEES

Education CS George Magoha has urged schools not to send children with no fees back home when schools reopen in January.

Magoha has ordered the unconditional return of all learners to class and proposed that the institutions and parents come up with payment schedules.

“All children have to return back to school, head teachers and principals should go slow on those who would be unable to pay fees,” he said.

The CS was on an inspection tour to assess the level of schools’ preparedness.

However, Kenya Secondary School Heads Association chairman Indimuli Kahi urged the government to release capitation to enable institutions to run their operations upon reopening.

“Schools solely depend on direct fees paid by parents and capitation. If parents will not be able to give the money on time, then the government should,” Kahi said.

Magoha noted that Rift Valley, Central and Nairobi top in preparation but the same was not the case in Northern Kenya. Turkana is the worst prepared, according to the CS, at about 12 per cent.

He also said the government is working to assist learners displaced by floods during the closure period. He said the ministry had mapped about 25 schools in Bundalang’i, Nyando, Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo and West Pokot.

Public school heads have also been ordered to admit children from private schools that were closed down during the pandemic. He also indicated that KCPE, KCSE exams are ready.

For those taking exams in such schools, “the government could be forced to create temporary examination centres in schools that have been closed down”. 

Upon reopening, the schools will hugely depend on masks to protect learners from Covid-19, the CS argued.

The development comes even as the institutions grapple with congestion; however, Magoha argues that this should not be sensationalised to derail the planned reopening.

He insisted that the government will not be able to provide masks for all learners but only those from the poorest families.

“We have provided close to one million masks to schools that will be given to the poor families. The government will not be in a position to provide masks to each learner, so parents have to get into their pockets and at least provide two reusable masks for their learners. This should not be a hard thing to do,” he said.

Source: The Star