Parents of students transitioning to Junior Secondary School will not pay school fees, Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has directed.
Speaking Monday during the release of the Form One placement for 2022 KCPE Candidates, CS Machogu said the government has released Sh9.6 billion for junior secondary.
“President William Ruto has directed that the Treasury set aside Sh.15,000 per learner as capitation to facilitate free learning in all public schools. In total, the government will spend a total of Sh.9.6 billion for the learners in junior secondary this calendar year,” he said.
“This is almost equal to senior secondary students, who will continue getting the amount they are getting of Sh.22, 244,” CS Machogu added.
The directive only applies to public day schools, with boarding institutions set to charge a fee.
“No school should charge any fees for Grade 7 learners unless such schools have boarding wings,” the CS said.
Grade 7 learners will report to school on January 30, 2023.
The CS at the same time said public schools have been barred from charging any admission fees for Grade 7 learners.
This is due to the 100 percent transition policy in the same school the learners were enrolled for Grade 6.
“This is the constitutional requirement that basic education, from primary to secondary, be compulsory and free,” he said.
Parents of Grade 7 learners will however dip into their pockets for new school uniforms. CS Machogu said the learners will be required to wear a different colour or type of uniform that will differentiate them from primary school pupils.
“There is need to distinguish the Junior Secondary School section, as a result a decision has been made that parents and management agree on the new uniforms for JSS learners. Because it is secondary, the uniform will not be the same,” Machogu said.
The CS said after holding talks with parents and other stakeholders, the Board of Management of each school will come up with the new school uniform for JSS.
“Parents will have to bear responsibility of buying uniforms for their children,” he said.
The government also assured there will be enough teachers for all the students.
