School administrators have been urged to exercise patience with parents over the payment of fees for their children.
Gichugu MP Gichimu Githinji cited tough economic times resulting from the Covid pandemic as one of the major reasons parents are financially struggling.
He now wants school heads to refrain from sending home students who have fee arrears and instead give parents more time to look for fees.
The lawmaker on Tuesday said that since learning resumed, the school calendar has changed, with four terms accommodated in one academic year.
“Parents are hard-pressed with so many responsibilities, school fees provision being one of them. Considering that students are opening schools after a short vacation.
“My appeal is for them to allow children in school as parents go about their everyday hustle in search of money to pay school fees,” he said.
The lawmaker spoke outside Gichugu NG-CDF office during an event to distribute cheques for this financial year’s bursary worth Sh37.7 million.
He said the fund will go a long way in sustaining 14,000 students. The vetting team accommodated all the needy cases that were presented, he added.
Githinji hopes the money will ease the school fee pressure on parents.
“We have awarded the bursary to students drawn from secondary schools, colleges, universities and special schools. We hope the money will be a big relief and will at least help sustain students in school.”
He said his team would continue tackling the financial challenges faced by needy students to uplift education standards in the constituency.
“Next year, we will have another rollout of yet another mega education kitty. We want all needy students to always be on the lookout to apply and benefit from the fund.”
Andrew Musota, the principal of St Mary’s Karumandi, hailed the move, saying the money allocated will go a long way in funding education for bright students. He urged the government to expand the programme to accommodate more needy cases.
His Mutithi High School counterpart Warui Magondu said the money would not only help students remain in schools but also boost the feeding programme.
Tabitha Wanjiru, a parent of a child living with a disability, said the 6,000 she received would complement the amount she has saved to put her son through school.
“I’m required to raise Sh30,000 to have my son continue with his studies. So far, I have raised Sh18,000. The Sh6,000 he has received through the bursary has eased the struggle and I’m positive I shall get the whole amount in the shortest time possible."
