Union and parents put Kaimenyi on the spot over school fees guide

Parents and teachers have stepped up pressure on the government to release school fees guidelines, two months after it received a task force report.

The Kenya Union of Post Primary Teachers (Kuppet) and the Kenya National Association of Parents (Knap) said failure to release a directive on school fees would affect preparations for next year.

Kuppet secretary- general Akello Misori asked Education secretary Jacob Kaimenyi to “be bold enough and issue the guidelines before the end of next week” to give parents time to plan.

“We do not want the government to surprise parents with fee guidelines at the end of this month. As we have said, the task force report was a populist approach that needs to be handled with care,” he said.

Mr Misori reiterated that the education sector needs a decisive Cabinet secretary.

“The issue of school fees is a sensitive matter that requires a decision and not procrastination,” he said.

Knap secretary-general Musau Ndunda said parents were disappointed with the Education minister.

“The task force came up with a realistic cost of educating a child, but the minister has been playing games with the issue,” he said.

However, Prof Kaimenyi said: “It should be made clear that the government has not increased any school fees as the circular that was issued in the past clearly states what schools ought to charge.”