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"Schools must desist from asking parents to construct new classrooms for the current Grade 8 candidates," the CS said.
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He directed that Grade 8 learners utilise the classrooms left vacant by the last cohort of the Std 8 candidates who sat KCPE in 2023.
Image: PCS
Educations Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has said no parent will be required to pay for the construction of Junior Secondary School classrooms.
Machogu in a statement said the Ministry has received reports that some schools, in a bid to charge parents extra levies, are asking money for the construction of JSS classrooms.
"Schools must desist from asking parents to construct new classrooms for the current Grade 8 candidates," the CS said.
He directed that Grade 8 learners utilise the classrooms left vacant by the last cohort of the Std 8 candidates who sat the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education Examination in 2023.
Machogu said plans are already underway for the construction of classrooms to accommodate JSS learners.
"The government plans to spend Sh12.8 billion to facilitate the construction of 15,015 classrooms for JSS over the next year," he said.
He told all school heads that the Sh7.6 billion released last week for learners in Junior Secondary Schools has already been credited to school accounts.
"Schools are therefore not expected to charge any levies from parents," Machogu said.
The CS said field officers from the Ministry of Education should be vigilant in the regions to ensure all joining instructions to Junior Secondary schools and Form 1 are strictly complied with.
Basic education learning institutions opened for the First term on Monday, January 8.
After learners reported, Machogu said the Ministry started receiving reports of some learning institutions charging parents extra levies.
"Since the opening day, the Ministry of Education has received several reports that some Junior Secondary Schools are charging levies on the pretext of expanding infrastructure to accommodate learners joining Grade 8 in 2024," Machogu said.
Machogu said other schools are demanding new school uniforms for the Grade 7 learners.
To ensure smooth learning at the JSS level, Machogu directed all 1,282,574 candidates who sat the 2023 Kenya Primary Schools Education Assessment to be allowed to join Grade 7 in the Junior Secondary Schools hosted by their respective primary schools where they attended Grades 1-6.