Govt Orders Parents to Pay Fees Via eCitizen

The Ministry of Education has mandated parents or guardians with learners in national schools to utilize the eCitizen platform for payments, aligning with the government’s directive to streamline processes under pay bill number 222222.

A senior official from the Ministry, speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, confirmed the directive, clarifying its initial application to national schools. The government plans to evaluate the pilot project, identifying gaps and areas for improvement before extending it to other institutions.

Basic Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang, in a circular to national school principals, instructed them to furnish bank account details for seamless onboarding.

The circular stated, “The directorate of e-Citizen, in collaboration with the Information Communication Technology Authority (ICTA), Ministry of Information, Communication and the Digital Economy, and the National Treasury, coordinates the onboarding of all government services onto the eCitizen platform to enhance service delivery.”

To comply, parents/guardians must make fee payments through this platform. Principals were directed to submit finance details to the Director General, State Department for Basic Education by February 6, 2024. Information required includes account name, bank, account number, bank code, and branch code.

Upon collecting all bank account details, the government will guide parents on the school fee payment process. The submission deadline for required information is emphasized as February 6, 2024, through email to dg@education.go.ke and a copy to sa.basic@education.go.ke.

This move aims to boost eCitizen sign-ups, currently serving 11 million users daily. The initiative follows President William Ruto’s June 2023 directive to consolidate pay bills, intending to curb corruption associated with physical interactions in government offices.

The ongoing efforts seek to enhance efficiency and transparency in service delivery across educational institutions.