One of the major stumbling blocks towards achieving equality in public school education is the disregard of state directives by headteachers and principals.
As a result, we have a generation of bitter and unforgiving parents cursing the day they took their children to school.
The state publicly issues a directive but the following school term, the school heads not only ignore it but also blatantly introduce new ones, which quite often than not, are aimed at milking the parents dry.
These school heads have had the boldness to increase school fees at will, introduce programmes without wider consultation and apply the iron fist rule in these schools, much to the displeasure of poor parents.
The schools have been turned into the epicentre of primitive accumulation of wealth.
Not so long ago, the Ministry of Education banned holiday and weekend tuition, but students still attend tuition.
They are deprived of their rights to cool off their brains, just in the name of competition for better results in national exams and completing the syllabus.
Psychologists will advise that children also need time to relax, play and even acquire non-academic skills, but the men and women manning our public schools have sacrificed this for that extra coin.
What is the point of sending pupils for holidays when they are expected to be in school before the end of the holiday season in the name of tuition?
Many children have had their faith abused by teachers unmindful of the fact that Saturdays and Sundays are Christian Sabbath days.
Harsh punishment has been meted out on them for snubbing these non-official school days and illegal tuition.
However, it's not just tuition that's a thorn in the flesh of Kenyan pupils and parents.
Rogue headteachers and principals working in cahoots with influential members of boards of management and parents are increasing fees through the introduction of illegal levies.
How practical is it in this day and age of technological advancement to require every student to pay money for a slasher? Especially given that these schools have lawn mowers?
Suppose the school has 500 students, what will the school do with 500 slashers?
Sadly, parents have allowed this ugly trend to continue.
Some may be financially muscled to foot all these illegal fees, but the fact remains that many Kenyan parents are suffering in silence.
Tough economic times have condemned many to a life of peanuts and any extra charges must be rejected by well-meaning citizens.
Parents must understand that they have a duty to assist the state in implementing its policy directives.
They should not shy away from reporting rogue school heads.
Public education must be affordable.
Freelance journalist and writer
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
