School heads want ban on extra levies lifted

Secondary school heads in Rarieda Sub-County have appealed to Education Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i to revoke the directive on the ban on the collection of extra levies to enable the effective running of schools.

Led by Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (Kessha) Rarieda Sub-County Chairman Mr James Okoyo, the school heads stated that the directive that parents should not pay any fees beyond what is stipulated in the guidelines is unfair.

He expressed fears that their operations would ground to a halt, noting that many schools risk being auctioned off because a majority of the schools have huge bank loans that they can only settle if parents are allowed to pay the extra levies.

Mr Okoyo, who is also the Principal of Ramba Boys’ High school, pointed out that many schools have bus loans alongside other infrastructure development loans and these can only be paid for through the Board of Management levies.

The chairman, who was speaking to Radio Ramogi in his office at the school, observed that education standards would also go down because most schools relied on teachers hired by the Boards of Management due to understaffing.

He noted that with the meager funds that government usually brings to schools, they will not be able to hire the BOM teachers.

Mr Okoyo has, therefore, pleaded with the Ministry of Education to reconsider its stand and allow parents to carry on with the incomplete on-going projects that had been initiated at their respective schools.

Last week Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo suggested the need for the government to increase the capitation for schools if parents are not allowed to pay extra levies.