Parents preparing to send their children to senior schools next year will face different education costs depending on the school category their children join, with annual parental contributions ranging from zero in some institutions to KSh53,554 in others.
The fees form part of the government’s approved senior school funding framework under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system as Kenya rolls out Grade 10.
The fee structure comes as the country transitions to the senior school phase of the CBE system, where learners are placed in schools classified under four clusters: C1, C2, C3 and C4.
The clusters replace the former national, extra-county, county and sub-county school categories. C1 schools correspond to former national schools, C2 to extra-county schools, C3 to county schools and C4 to
C4 Learners to Continue Enjoying Free Education
Learners joining C4 day senior schools will continue to receive free education, with the government providing KSh22,244 per learner annually through capitation funding.
The funding covers school expenses, including tuition, activities, medical insurance, administration, and maintenance.
According to the Ministry of Education, the arrangement aims to ensure all learners can access senior school education regardless of their family’s financial situation.
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Under the approved framework, the capitation includes KSh4,144 for tuition, KSh1,500 for activities, KSh2,000 for medical insurance, KSh200 for SMASSE programmes, KSh9,400 for administration and other costs, and KSh5,000 for maintenance and improvement.
What Parents in Boarding Schools Will Pay
While tuition remains government-funded, parents whose children join boarding schools will need to contribute toward boarding and operational costs.
For boarding schools in the higher fee category, the government will provide KSh22,244 per learner, while parents will contribute up to KSh53,554 annually. This raises the total annual cost per learner to KSh75,798.
The parental contribution covers boarding equipment and stores, administration costs, electricity and water expenses, school activities, and part of the maintenance budget, and the government fully funds tuition costs.
For boarding schools in the lower fee category, the government contribution remains KSh22,244 while parents pay up to KSh40,535, bringing the total annual cost to KSh62,779 per learner.
How the C1, C2 and C3 Clusters Fit In
Although schools are now grouped into C1, C2, C3 and C4 clusters, the approved fee structure does not assign a unique fee to each cluster. Instead, fees are grouped according to whether a learner attends a day school or one of the two categories of boarding schools.
In practice, learners joining C1, C2 and C3 institutions that operate as boarding schools are likely to fall under either the KSh53,554 or KSh40,535 fee ceilings, depending on the classification and cost structure of the institution. Meanwhile, C4 day schools remain fully funded by government capitation.
The Ministry of Education introduced the new clustering system to align schools with the pathways offered in senior school, including Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Social Sciences, and Arts and Sports. Schools will offer pathways based on their infrastructure, staffing and capacity.
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Special Needs Learners Receive Additional Support
Learners enrolled in Special Needs Education senior schools will receive the highest level of government support under the framework.
The government will provide KSh57,974 per learner annually, while parents will contribute KSh12,790, bringing the total annual cost to KSh70,764.
The enhanced capitation is intended to support specialised learning materials, assistive equipment, boarding requirements and additional support services required by learners with disabilities.
The approved fee structure was published through a Gazette notice issued by Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba under the Basic Education Act.
The notice states that no public school may charge tuition fees or impose levies outside the approved framework. Any future fee changes must be approved by the Cabinet Secretary and published in the Kenya Gazette.
The fees took effect on January 5, and schools must spread payments across the three academic terms using a 50:30:20 ratio.
Senior Schools Fee Breakdown
| School Category | Government Contribution | Maximum Parent Contribution | Total Annual Cost |
| C4 Day Senior Schools | KSh22,244 | KSh0 | KSh22,244 |
| Boarding Schools (Higher Fee Category) | KSh22,244 | KSh53,554 | KSh75,798 |
| Boarding Schools (Lower Fee Category) | KSh22,244 | KSh40,535 | KSh62,779 |
| Special Needs Senior Schools | KSh57,974 | KSh12,790 | KSh70,764 |
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