The government has released Ksh.17.47 billion to public schools for 2021 first term.
Out of these, Ksh.2.62 bilion will go to primary schools while Ksh.14.85 billion will go to secondary schools.
Education Cabinet Secretary Professor George Magoha said principals should keep all learners in schools to ensure progressive learning for the shortened academic year calendar.
“Principals should dialogue with parents of learners with fees balances to find practical ways of clearing any arrears,” said CS Magoha.
CS Magoha said any additional fees outside of the official guidelines will not be tolerated.
“Parents and all stakeholders must ensure that all Form One students report to their secondary schools given that the Government has already released funding to support learning activities for Term One, 2021.”
The CS was impressed with turn up of students where over one million pupils joined Form One on August 2, marking the first time all 15 million learners will be in school since the disruption of learning calendar by the COVID-19 pandemic last year.
The admissions are underway at a time when several schools are grappling with space, with less desks and even classrooms to enable social distancing to prevent further spread of the virus.
Also Read:
- Over 1 million pupils join Form One
- Government reduces fees for secondary schools
- Magoha postpones Form One selection exercise
A total of 36, 254 candidates will join national schools; 17,406 girls and 18,848 boys.
Some 201,067 learners were posted to extra-county schools, 95,646 being girls and 105,431 boys.
213,591 candidates joined county schools; 115,325 girls and 98,256 boys, while 718,516 joined sub-county schools, 357,029 girls and 361,487 boys.
This will be the first time the schools will be admitting huge number of students who sat for their KCPE examinations amidst financial constraints among parents.
Other learners successfully opened for the first term of the 2021 academic calendar on July 26, 2021.
Some parents lost their jobs due to the pandemic and some who are still under payslip can’t bear with the high cost of living due to increased taxes.
The government’s efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 with lockdowns have led to rising unemployment.
100 % transition
President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration is determined to ensure 100 percent transition from primary to secondary school.
To this end, Education Cabinet Secretary Professor George Magoha announced a reduction in school fees last month with school heads put on the spot over sending students back home over lack of fees.
National schools will pay Ksh.8,500 less while extra County and County schools will pay Ksh.5,500 less.
This means the new fees in National schools will be Ksh.45,054 while learners in Extra County and County Schools will pay Ksh.39,554.
It is a reprieve for parents in the country who are yet struggling to raise school fees in the wake of a tight economy that has been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic.
Primary and day secondary school education is free.
Fees was reduced due to the short nature of the 2021 academic calendar that was affected by COVID-19.
The academic calendar is usually 39 weeks but the 2021 calendar will run for 30 weeks
