BREAKING: NO MORE PAYING OF SCHOOL FEES

School principals who defy the directive not to send home learners with fees balances will be subjected to disciplinary action from next week, Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha has said.

Speaking in Vihiga County yesterday when he commissioned CBC classrooms at Simbi and Ingidi secondary schools, Prof Magoha said that with national examinations two weeks away, no candidate should be out of school due to unpaid school fees.

Prof Magoha noted that it was a pity a number of principals were violating the directive even after being informed about it.
The CS said it was time for action to enforce the directive that has been violated by a number of principals.

“All children, including those who owe fees, must remain in school and sit exams that are two weeks away,” said Prof Magoha.

“We have a few teachers who are bold enough to send students home. We call on them to stop because the schools, teachers and students belong to the government.”

And added: “(Principals) should engage in reverse gear and ask our students to focus on the exams. Those who will continue to defy (the directive) will have action taken against them from next week.”

The warning comes as Kuppet officials protested delays by the Ministry of Education to release capitation for each student, including the candidates.

The union lamented a plan by the ministry to hold onto the funds until April, claiming this would cut out funds for students now in Form Four.

Prof Magoha assured Kenyans that the 6,000 CBC classrooms being built during this first phase will be completed by March 7, when national examinations are scheduled to start.

He said 2,200 classrooms had been completed and 500 commissioned.

The CS noted that Garissa County is ahead, with their classrooms 99 per cent complete, followed by Meru and Mandera at 95 per cent each and Wajir and Siaya at 87 per cent.

“We are hopeful that we will meet our target. Countrywide, the completion rate is at 72 per cent and the remaining 28 per cent will be done by March 7, because this is the deadline for the first phase as schools will have started the national examinations,” said Prof Magoha.

He noted that his ministry is inspecting every building to ensure that there are no ghost classrooms.

The CS also scoffed at politicians who have called for the scrapping of the CBC curriculum and said the system had already taken off and soon it will be in its seventh year of implementation.

Courtesy