Parents with children in national secondary schools could be required to pay up to KSh87,781 annually if a new school-fees proposal from the Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA) is approved by the government.

The proposal, presented at the KESSHA conference in Mombasa, calls for a review of the current fee structure, which school heads say has remained unchanged since 2015 despite rising inflation and increasing operational costs.

KESSHA National Chairman Wilson Kurnia stated that the existing fee structure no longer accurately reflects the actual cost of running schools.

He noted that the prices of essential supplies have increased sharply over the past decade, citing photocopy paper, whose cost has risen from about KSh420 per ream in 2015 to approximately KSh800 today.

“These perspectives provide a rational and evidence-based framework to support a comprehensive review and upward adjustment of the current school fee structure,” he added.

What Are Parents Expected to Pay Under New Proposed Structure

Under the new proposed structure, KESSHA detailed the fee increment as in the table below;

Vote Head C1 Current (KSh) C1 Proposed (KSh) C2 & C3 Current (KSh) C2 & C3 Proposed (KSh) C4 Current (KSh) C4 Proposed (KSh)
Teaching and Learning Materials 4,344 5,642 4,344 5,642 4,344 5,642
B.E.S (Meals) 30,385 61,009 25,385 61,009 – –
Repair and Maintenance 0 2,000 0 2,000 0 2,000
Local Transport and Travel 29,771 6,330 22,300 6,330 9,400 4,249
Administration Cost – 7,400 – 5,400 – 2,659
Electricity, Water and Conservancy – 7,590 – 7,051 – 2,151
P.E (Staff Salaries) – 15,816 – 13,196 – 8,873
Activity 2,298 3,238 1,750 3,238 1,500 2,345
Medical and Insurance 2,000 2,000 2,000 2,000 2,000 2,000
Lunch Programme – – – – – –
Approved M&I Fund 7,000 – 7,000 – 5,000 –
TOTAL COST 75,798 110,025 62,779 105,866 22,244 29,919
Less FSE Grant (22,244) (22,244) (22,244) (22,244) (22,244) (22,244)
Parent Contribution 53,554 87,781 40,535 83,622 0 7,675
Increase (Deviation) – 34,227 – 43,087 – 7,675

KESSHA Warns CBC Demands Are Straining School Budgets

School heads also raised concerns about the growing costs of implementing the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), saying many schools lack the specialized equipment, facilities and learning materials required for technical and applied subjects.

They argued that additional funding is needed to support the expanded curriculum and maintain learning standards.

Further, KESSHA noted that many schools now offer additional examinable subjects, including music and dance, French, fine art, sports and recreation, electricity, aviation, home science, building and construction, theatre and film, marine, fisheries, and mechatronics, among others.

Most of these subjects fall under the Technical and Applied categories and require specialized facilities, equipment, and learning materials.

“In order for schools to sustain and effectively teach these subjects, additional resources are required,” Mr Kuria said.

Additionally, he noted that many schools lack the necessary equipment to support technical subjects, while existing facilities are often inadequate or obsolete.

“Old-model computers are no longer viable for current learning requirements,” he said.

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KESSHA Proposes Higher School Fees as C1 Parents Set to Pay KSh87,781 Annually
NTSA, Eva Nyawira addresses delegates during the 49th Kenya Secondary School Heads Conference at Sheikh Zayed Grounds in Mombasa. PHOTO/NTSA