Parents who have students in Kiambu schools have been called upon to pay or top up a little of the fees as the children go back to school after their midterm.
Kiambu County Director of Education Roselyne Litaba said the schools are being run on a low budget due to non-payment of fees by majority of parents and thus they should pitch in, in order for the school programmes to run smoothly.
Speaking to KNA today, Ms Litaba also urged parents to communicate with the respective heads of schools and come up with a plan on how they can comfortably pay and clear their fees arrears.
Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha has often urged school principals not to send away students for lack of fees as they were opening schools and instead liaise with parents on how to settle fee balances once schools reopen.
The first term of the year 2022 school year started in April and Students now are just returning to school after a short break even as most parents complain of the heavy burden of school fees, uniforms and even books amid a skyrocketing cost of living and lost incomes.
Speaking to some parents who were taking their children back to school Monday after a 4 day break, they noted that although they were trying hard to ensure they pay the schools fees, some could not be able to pay as requested by the schools and that they wanted more time.
“I have been sent back with my child due to fees balance of Sh10,000, I really have nothing to offer right now the situation is getting harder every day since COVID pandemic hit the country and some of us lost our jobs. I am urging school principals to bear with us as we prepare to clear a debt of last year”, Jane Gathoni a parent in one of the Kiambu secondary schools said.
Another parent, Joe Kariuki said that she was happy that the principal in her daughters’ school was able to accept Sh 6,000 she owed the school for the last time and gave her some time to go source for the first term.
Meanwhile other parents have decried the short midterm that the students were given saying it is becoming expensive.
Mary Njoroge, a parent of three children based in Ruiru says that, “I went for my daughter at her school on Thursday and now I have to take her back today on Monday. This midterm is so short and for some of us whose children school far from home it becomes quite expensive because of transport.
Many parents and residents from Kiambu told KNA that they cannot wait for the school programme to go back to the normal calendar before COVID 19 pandemic.
The 2022 school calendar (2022 term dates) for all primary and secondary schools in Kenya and released by the Ministry of Education will see learners In the calendar, open for term one 25/04/2022 and is to last for 10 weeks with the closing date slated for July 1, 2022.
The Ministry says the revision of the term dates is in a bid to normalize the school calendar which was disrupted by the Covid 19 pandemic.
