The Education Ministry has directed all public secondary schools to refund parents fees charged besides that which the government has approved.
This comes after lawmakers are looking into allegations of school charges which are not included in the official admission letter.
In a circular, Education Principal Secretary Paul Kibet, said any fees collected above the revised guidelines be refunded or treated as prepayment of fees for continuing students.
“Any fees collected above the revised guidelines be refunded or treated as prepayment of fees for continuing students… No child will be sent away for non-payment of such fees,” read the circular.
The PS added that schools that desire to charge amounts above the stipulated fees must make a formal request to the Cabinet Secretary and will only be allowed to charge extra after written authorization has been granted.
The circular comes days after the Ministry received complaints of schools charging illegal levies outside the guidelines leading to dissatisfaction from parents.
According to the Ministry, it has been noted that schools recover these levies upfront before crediting money paid as fees into the students’ fees accounts making students have false fees arrears leading to them being sent home.
Jwan further noted that any unreported cases of a school charging illegal levies will attract sanctions on the responsible officer.
“Your reports should be submitted to director secondary via email address directorsecondary2018@gmail.com for compiling and further processing,” he said.
Schools are also at the same time being urged to be reasonable where lunch programs are in place, making it optional taking into consideration the reduced term or academic year.
The recommended fees for national schools is set at Sh45,054, county schools at Sh35,035 while day schools are free.
Lawmakers are expected to meet with Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha next week to discuss the many charges that headteachers impose on parents every time schools reopen.
Chairperson of the National Assembly’s Education Committee, Busia MP, Florence Mutua said the illegal fees are a matter of concern and MPs will scrutinise them.
“We will look into it because we only have one place, the Ministry of Education, where instructions on school fees come from. If there are schools setting internal fees without the approval of the ministry, then it is illegal,” she said.