CS Ogamba: No student should miss exams over fees

Education CS Julius Ogamba has warned school principals against denying candidates registration for the 2026 national examinations over unpaid school fees.

Ogamba said the government fully pays for national examinations and therefore no learner should be blocked from registration because of outstanding fee balances.

The CS cautioned that any school head found preventing eligible candidates from registering would face strict administrative and disciplinary action.

“We have received reports that some principals are not registering students who are candidates for the 2026 examinations because of outstanding school fee balances. Let me clarify: examinations are paid for by the government,” he said.

“If we find that this has happened, we will take serious administrative and disciplinary action.”

Ogamba urged parents to actively confirm that their children who are candidates have been registered for the examinations to avoid last-minute surprises.

He said that ensuring all candidates are registered is critical to allowing learners to progress to the next level of education, including universities, in 2027.

“I want parents to get involved and confirm that the students who are candidates have been registered for the 2026 examinations so that you do not come later to say you were not aware that your learners had not been registered,” he 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.

On Wednesday, Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Felix Koskei warned 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.