Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association chairman Kahi Indimuli has said poor fees payment is the biggest challenge faced by head teachers during the ongoing Form 1 admissions.
Indimuli, who is the Machakos Boys High School principal, said he has received concerns from his colleagues across the country over poor fee payments by parents.
"The biggest challenge is fees. I urge parents that since the government has cushioned them in terms of fees payments by reviewing fees downwards, they should do their best to show goodwill now that the government has reduced the fee," Indimuli said.
Indimuli addressed the press during the Form 1 admissions at Machakos Boys High School on Monday when he admitted 500 students. The school now has a student population of 1,800.
"Schools need the money to run. It will be unfair if students are brought to school and fees are not paid in full. I want to appeal to all of us that schools need support," Indimuli said.
He added, "As we cushion parents, schools too must be cushioned because they are playing important roles."
Indimuli said the government's capitation funds had not reached schools' bank accounts.
He said some parents took their children to Machakos High School for Form 1 admission without a cent.
"Some parents just paid for the first term. Some just arrived without any money. Those are some of the issues we are tackling. We are trying to understand what is happening so that we offer assistance," Indimuli said.
He said there were categories of parents who had initially gone to other schools, requested admission and were offered by school heads. Therefore, the Nemis system changed them.
"Ordinarily, I should be asking those parents and their children to go to those schools. But, on humanitarian grounds, we are documenting the cases and we will be seeking guidance from the Ministry of Education on how we can enter them into the Nemis system, " Indimuli said.
On Covid-19, Indimuli said they had adhered to all the government protocols to ensure students were safe from the virus.
He said they had set up tents in the open playground to create space as a way of achieving social distance.
Indimuli said schools had also established isolation rooms in line with the Ministry of Education directives.
He said most of the new students were driven to his school in either family cars or hired taxis, and only a few used public transport. This, he said, was parents showing they were responsible for protecting their children from getting the virus.
"We will follow guidelines as indicated by ministries of Health and Education. Principals should be vigilant in enforcing Covid-19 measures and support vulnerable children from humble backgrounds," Indimuli said.
He said no student should be sent home for lack of school fees.
Indimuli said colleagues should also be vigilant to monitor weird behaviour that can cause stress to students in schools to avoid bullying, which might lead to student unrest.
"There is no mistake a student has done to join Form 1. We had 313 KCSE candidates sitting for 2020 KCSE and we are constructing more dormitories and classrooms," Indimuli said.
Edited by Henry Makori
