As the Ministry of Education continues assessing learning institutions for the 1.2 million children transiting to Grade 7, parents with students joining Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) claim that they are not ready to pay extra fees even after demanding an increase in capitation.
National Parents Association chairperson Silas Obuhatsa said the JSS rollout is occurring at a time when Kenyans are struggling with a high cost of living.
“The issue of school fees should not apply anywhere because JSS is being domiciled within primry school premises. Children going to Grade 7 is like transiting from Class 6 to class 7 in the 8-4-4 system,” Obuhatsa said noting that 8-4-4 learners in primary schools do not pay school fees.
He said parents should not pay school fees because the Kenya Kwanza administration promised Kenyans free education.
“The government promised education will be free from pre-primary school to University. As parents we are insisting that the government should be very careful with the issue of paying school fees for JSS learners. We shall not accept to pay school fees for JSS,” he added.
The association said that negotiations with the government can only be made on fee payment at senior secondary schools.
Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Secretary-General Collins Oyuu, who attended the KICD meeting, said the government had assured them it will make education affordable for parents.
“The fact that we have mentioned JSS, let us not be hyper on what shall be paid as school fees. Who has told you about the school fees that shall be paid? I am happy that the government is silent about it. Parents started preparing as early as when Competency Based Curriculum was announced,”
Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) Secretary-General Akelo Misori said school fees may not be avoided.
He however insisted that the fees must be lower than what is being charged in secondary schools.
The government directed that JSS be domiciled in the existing primary schools following a report by the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform after months of public participation.
However, primary schools that lack the capacity to domicile junior secondary schools will not be allowed to host the Grade 7 students.
The ministry stated that it will instead transfer the students to neighbouring institutions.