Illegal school fees must stop immediately, Felix Koskei warns school heads

Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Felix Koskei speaks during a virtual meeting with boards of management, principals and senior administrative officers in secondary schools across the country, March 11, 2026. /FELIX KOSKEI

Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Felix Koskei has issued a stern warning to school principals against levying illegal fees outside the Ministry of Education’s approved guidelines.

Addressing more than 80,000 school administrators in a virtual meeting on Wednesday, Koskei said the government had noted with concern incidents where some institutions continue to impose charges disguised under various items such as uniforms, sporting materials and equipment.

“Such practices undermine the spirit and intent of government policy and place unnecessary burden on parents and guardians. I wish to make it clear that such actions must stop immediately,” Koskei said.

He directed school administrators and boards of management to ensure strict adherence to all government policies and circulars on school fees in order to guard against the levying of illegal charges.

“Our collective responsibility is to ensure that access to education is not hindered by practices that place undue financial strain on families.”

Koskei was addressing thousands of principals, boards of management and senior administrative officers including heads of administration in charge of finance, accounts and procurement across all public secondary schools in the country.

He reiterated that government policies must be respected by all without fail, even as he acknowledged that some schools face unique challenges that may require additional funding.

Koskei said the management of schools requires high levels of transparency, accountability and prudence, with boards of management carrying the mandate of ensuring decisions are transparent and taken in the best interest of learners.

“If it is found that the fees guidelines that have been given are not adequate to run a school, please have a conversation with the ministry until you agree, so that we do not transfer the challenges we are having in schools to parents,” Koskei said.

On February 6, the government released a new fee structure for all public senior schools, setting out a revised and standardised school fees framework aimed at curbing arbitrary charges and protecting parents.

The total cost per student in day schools stands at Sh22,244, fully funded by the state.

Under the new framework, day senior schools no longer require parents to pay fees. The government covers Sh4,144 per learner for tuition, Sh1,500 for activities, Sh2,000 for medical and insurance, and Sh200 for Strengthening of Mathematics and Science in Secondary Education (SMASSE).

Other vote heads include administration, learning and teaching, early years education and P.E. at Sh9,400, as well as Sh5,000 for maintenance and improvement.

For boarding senior schools, fees vary depending on previously approved maximum rates. Institutions that had been allowed to charge up to Sh53,554 now have a total fee of Sh75,798, with parents paying up to Sh53,554 while the government contributes Sh22,244.

Schools whose earlier cap stood at Sh40,535 will retain that parental component, complemented by Sh22,244 from the government, bringing the total to Sh62,779.

During the virtual meeting, Willie Kuria, chairperson of the Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA) and chief principal of Murang'a High School, called for a review of capitation to match inflationary increases that have raised the cost of living.

He said the current structure formulated in 2014 no longer reflects the reality on the ground.

“Because of the little capitation that is coming, it becomes so difficult for schools to operate. Even the fees that have been set up were set in 2014, and now we are in 2026 — the inflation. It has become a big problem to the school leadership when they are trying to ensure there is efficient delivery of services,” he said.

“Schools now charge Sh53,000, but when in our forums we try to calculate how much a student spends per day, we arrive at Sh95,000 for boarding public schools.”

Kuria further said that from the approved capitation of Sh22,244, only Sh14,000 reaches schools, further straining already overstretched resources.

He said that last year there was a deficit of Sh6,860 per child, translating to a shortfall of more than Sh22 billion nationally.

In the first term of 2026, he added, schools received Sh6,500 per child from the Sh44,240 total capitation against an expectation of Sh11,000 per child in line with the 50:30:20 disbursement ratio.

“So these deficits are making it hard for us to manage the institutions effectively.”