Parents grapple with uniforms, beddings and 'irrelevant' items

The move by Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha to subsidise school fees might no longer be functional parents have said.

This is after they claimed that school heads have found a way to recover the money.

Parents in several schools said they have been subjected to paying more money for uniforms and other school requirements.

This is apart from being sent to specific stores to buy items where it is said the prices are higher.

Parents from a school in Nyanza took to their WhatsApp group to lament.

They said school administration doubled uniform fees a few hours to opening day without any explanation.

Almost 700 students reporting for form one this year were asked to pay Sh16, 200, an increment from Sh9, 200, for uniforms.

 “We pay all that money but some students end up with only one pair because the school is not able to provide all pairs,” a parent told the Star.

Parents are supposed to deposit the uniform money to the school account.

A national school in Bungoma county asks parents to pay Sh21, 000 for uniforms at form one and the other set is purchased at form three.

“We pay twice for uniforms so by the time students finish form two we know they need another set and we pay in school,” a parent said.

A school in Nairobi asked form one parents to pay an extra Sh16, 000 for uniforms and bedding.

This is aside from first term school fees which is to be paid in full, before admission of the student.

“Condition for admission to this school is to buy school uniform as per attached list,” the admission letter reads.

Still in Nairobi, another county school has directed parents to buy uniforms anywhere they wish, provided the colours are not different.

“School uniforms to be purchased outside the school, they are a major requirement before admission,” the admission letter reads.

A parent who is supposed to admit their son to this county school said the pieces listed cost almost Sh20, 000.

“We were asked to buy most things in pairs and they are many, it’s not just the shirt and trousers alone,” the parent said.

The items are school shirt, t-shirt, trouser, sweater, wind-breaker, blazer, socks, leg warmers, jumper, track suit and games kit (short and t-shirt.)

Parents are also being asked to purchase some items which CS George Magoha had initially declined.

Magoha had warned school heads against demanding for these items which he said are provided by the government.

He also termed some of the items as ‘irrelevant’ saying students can do without.

Some of the items Magoha said should be avoided during Form 1 admissions are class readers, novels, photocopying papers, foolscaps, atlas and mathematical tables.

“Exercise books, which are provided by the government, hockey sticks, pangas, jembes slashers and hand brushes,” he said.

However, the Star has established that most schools are still asking parents for these items.

A school in Nyeri requested parents to buy an atlas, novels and class readers but did not request for the mathematics table.

Their list of requirements included kamusi, dictionary, bible, two novels and a floor rug.

Another school in Nairobi asked students to report for form one admission with eight items listed among stationery.

They include dictionary, kamusi, 360 degrees atlas (specific publisher), mathematics table 7th edition, bible, hymn book, and mathematical set.

Despite Magoha barring mathematical tables and ream of photocopying papers the school still requested for these items.

National schools pay Sh8,500 less while extra-county and county schools will pay Sh5,500 less.

National Schools now pay Sh45,054 while the extra-county and county schools pay Sh35,035.

(Edited by Tabnacha O)