Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has said any form one learner whose parents are unable to buy new uniforms immediately should be allowed to wear his/her primary school uniform.
Machogu made these remarks at St. Georges Secondary School in Nairobi where he was overseeing form one admission exercise.
The CS further urged teachers to be lenient with students who do not report to school in the right uniforms.
“We made it clear that the parents are informed on the uniform to buy and where a parent is not able to buy uniform immediately, they are given time such that a student can come with the uniform they used to put on in primary and wear it for the time being while parents are making arrangements of procuring the same,” he said.
CS Machogu also addressed concerns about the outrageous fees’ schools are asking parents to pay. He stated that secondary school fees should remain as recommended by the Kilemi Mwiria education taskforce, and not even a shilling should be added to it.
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“The government has not increased school fees, the fees is as it was set seven years ago by the Kilemi Mwiria taskforce. Which set the amount for National schools and Extra- County schools at Ksh. 53,455. The amount for County boarding secondary schools is Ksh.45, 000,” the education CS said.
In addition, CS Machogu said school fees should not be paid at a go, but on a termly basis.
Moreover, the education CS reported that needy students will benefit from scholarships and bursaries from CDF funds in a bid to realize the 100% transition to secondary schools.
He also added that parents whose children go to day schools are not required to pay school fees, but only spend on uniforms.