Education CS Prof George Magoha on Monday directed public schools to refund any fees charged outside the recommendation the ministry made two weeks ago.
The directive may have come as a relief to parents, most of whom are grappling with fee payment, but Magoha must ensure schools obey it.
The CS has previously issued directives that principals have largely ignored. Parents are still charged fees beyond the Sh45,054 and Sh35,035 caps for national and county schools.
Many Form 1 students are yet to report to school because their parents have not raised enough fees. This is against the ministry directive that all students report to school. Magoha had promised that no student will be sent home for lack of fees.
With the hard economic times occasioned by the Covid-19 crisis, parents are struggling to pay fees and meet other basic family needs. As such, the government has a duty to ensure any directives meant to provide relief for guardians are strictly enforced.
That is why Magoha must act. It is time the CS stopped barking without biting. He must find a mechanism to ensure schools comply with orders from the ministry.
Quote of the Day: “If you can’t look after something in your care, you have no right to keep it.”
Enid Blyton
The English children’s writer (Famous Five, Secret Seven, The Adventure) was born on August 11, 1897
