A proposal to sharply raise secondary school fees has sparked resistance from parents and education stakeholders, who say the solution to schools' financial struggles lies in proper government funding rather than asking households to dig deeper into their pockets.
The plan was presented by the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (Kessha) during its annual conference in Mombasa last week. School principals argue that the current fee structure, which has remained unchanged since 2015, no longer reflects the realities facing learning institutions as costs continue to rise.
Under the proposal, parents with children in national schools would pay Sh87,781 annually, up from Sh53,554. Fees for learners in extra-county and county boarding schools would increase from Sh40,535 to Sh83,622, while parents of students in day schools would be required to contribute Sh7,675 each year.
According to Kessha, schools are finding it increasingly difficult to operate because government capitation is both inadequate and frequently delayed.
The association says that by the second term of 2026, schools had received only 56 per cent of the funds expected for the year, leaving institutions with a funding gap equivalent to 24 per cent of the annual allocation per learner. The government currently provides Sh22,244 per student each year.
The proposal has, however, drawn strong criticism from the National Parents Association (NPA), which insists that families should not be asked to shoulder additional education costs.
“The government is funding education to the extent that it can afford. However, if it is unable to fully finance education, parents should not be made to bear the burden of fee increases,” said NPA national chairperson Silas Obuhatsa.
Obuhatsa said many households are already struggling to meet basic needs and would find it impossible to absorb the proposed increases.
“How logical is it to ask a parent who cannot raise Sh1,000 because of poverty to suddenly find Sh30,000? We understand the financial difficulties schools are facing, but the government should come up with an alternative mechanism to support schools. Otherwise, vulnerable families, particularly those with children joining senior school, risk being locked out of education,” Obuhatsa said.
Parents have also questioned why they continue to meet costs such as transport, uniforms and learning materials despite public education receiving government support.
Kessha maintains that schools are facing mounting expenditure on food, electricity, fuel, salaries and learning materials. The association further notes that the rollout of Competency-Based Education has created new financial demands, especially in specialised learning areas that require additional facilities, equipment and teachers.
School heads warn that if funding challenges persist, institutions may be forced to scale down some services, postpone repair works, delay payments to suppliers and seek further financial support from parents.
Concerns have also been raised that the proposed fee structure could place secondary education beyond the reach of many families. Some stakeholders fear that learners from vulnerable backgrounds could either drop out of school or transfer to cheaper institutions.
The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) said delays in capitation releases remain a major challenge for schools across the country.
“As a union, we remain concerned by the perennial delays in the disbursement of capitation funds. It is becoming difficult for us to track how much capitation is being disbursed because of constant changes in the criteria and contradictory circulars issued by the Ministry of Education,” said Deputy Secretary-General Moses Nthurima.
The Kenya Teachers in Hardship and Arid Areas Welfare Association (Kethawa) also opposed a general fee increase, arguing that decisions on additional charges should be made at the school level after consultations with parents and approval from the Ministry of Education.
“I do not support the proposal. Schools have different needs, and any decision to increase fees should be left to individual institutions and parents. What we want to see is the immediate release of capitation. There are still arrears dating back to 2018, and the ministry should gradually start paying them,” said Kethawa National Secretary Ndung’u Wangenye.
The debate has once again brought attention to the long-standing funding challenges facing public schools, with parents, teachers and education stakeholders urging the government to prioritise timely capitation payments instead of approving higher fees.