The Murang’a government has formed a surveillance team to traverse the county and ensure day schools do not charge extra fees.
Governor Mwangi wa Iria on Friday said many needy students fail to join day secondary schools after being unable to raise extra fees charged during admission.
The charges are packaged as development or lunch fees.
Secondary school education is free.
“We have many instances where principals send away students for failing to pay these charges that are not mandatory,” Wa Iria said.
The surveillance team that will be led by MCAs will ensure all students who seek admission into day schools are enrolled.
They will round the county during the first two weeks of January to check the progress of admissions.
The governor said students should have the choice to carry packed food if they cannot raise the amount demanded.
The county government will issue a hotline for parents to report noncompliant schools.
Wa Iria said the county government will issue Sh20 million worth of bursaries to 1,000 bright and needy students admitted to boarding schools.
“We have agreed that none of our students who is admitted to a boarding school misses out because of financial constraints,” he said.
Bursaries will be distributed to between 25 and 30 students in each of the 35 wards.
He said the MCAs had agreed to set up committees in all primary schools that will help identify at least two students to benefit.
“We have agreed to use schools to identify the students because when we use other processes, people bring in personal interests,” Wa Iria said.
The head teacher, class teacher, assistant chief, Board of Management, Parents’ Teachers’ Association and the church will be members of the committee.
The selected students will receive their cheques at Ihura Stadium in Murang’a town on January 7 and will receive boxes and other items necessary for admission.
“It will never happen again for a student to be admitted to a national school and later transfer to a day school due to lack of fees,” Wa Iria said.
He said the county government will monitor the students through their secondary education.