Parents are set to face increased fees following the expiry of the Sh8,500 Covid-19 pandemic relief programme.
Former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s regime had subsidised the fees as a cautionary measure for parents from the impacts of Covid which had led to reduced incomes for many families.
However, President William Ruto’s administration has opted to do away with most subsidy programmes.
In the 2021/2022 school calendar, parents had to contend with paying fees for four terms as the country raced to catch up with the curriculum.
The expiry of the programme means that Students in national and extra-county schools will pay Sh53,554, up from the present Sh45,000.
Expiry of the programme and increased inflation that has taken a toll on the cost of food is expected to be passed on to the parents as evidenced by seculars by school heads.
The ministry of education has maintained that the Government subsidy (Capitation) to schools to actualize Free Day Secondary Education (FDSE) will be Sh22,244.00 annually per learner.
“Schools classified as Special needs received enhanced capitation to Sh53,807 distributed in the fees structure,” MoE said in a communication.
The structure includes a Government subsidy of Sh19,053.00 per learner for Boarding Equipment and stores and a top-up grant of 12,510.00 per learner to cater for assistive devices and any additional personnel needed.
According to the new calendar, term one starts on January 23, 2023, and ends on April 21, 2023, while the second term runs from May 8 to August 11, 2023, followed by a two-week holiday.
Students will be on a three-day half-term break between June 29 and July 2, 2023, with the end-term holiday running between August 12 and 27, 2023.
The third term will commence on August 28 and until November 3, 2023.
Already private schools have increased fees some by up to 47 per cent ahead of the new academic calendar as they look to maintain their margins in the wake of the increased cost of life
