Uproar as parents accuse schools of hiking fees beyond approved limits

The charging of unauthorised fees is illegal and constitutes a violation of both the constitution and Ministry of Education guidelines. /AI ILLUSTRATION

A growing wave of discontent is emerging among parents, with a silent online protest gaining momentum over claims that some senior schools have increased fees beyond the guidelines approved by the Ministry of Education earlier this year.

At the centre of the uproar are allegations from parents in a Cluster 1 (C1) girls’ school in Nairobi, who say a newly posted principal has revised the annual fee structure from Sh83,000 to Sh120,000—an increment of Sh37,000.

The move, they argue, contravenes the government’s prescribed limits and places an additional financial burden on households already struggling with the cost of education.

“If parents dare to speak up, you are singled out along with your children,” said one parent, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals.

Parents shared what they said was the revised fee structure, which directs them to pay the new amount in three installments spread across the academic year, each capped at varying levels for the three school terms.

Similar complaints have surfaced from other parts of the country, with a parent from a different institution saying their child’s school had also implemented adjustments to fees.

“All schools seem to have done as much. I was hit by the same as well,” the parent said.

Another parent from a girls’ school in the Alego Usonga constituency in Siaya County reported similar changes, suggesting the issue may be more widespread than initially thought.

Some parents have gone further, alleging that certain school administrators are deliberately introducing additional charges as a strategy to edge out learners from less financially stable families.

According to these claims, the vacancies created are then informally sold to wealthier parents at costs reportedly as high as Sh200,000 per slot.

The controversy comes against the backdrop of heightened demand for placement in elite schools following the transition to Grade 10 in January.

The shift triggered intense competition for Cluster 1 institutions—formerly national schools—with more than 100,000 students reportedly vying for approximately 10,000 available slots.

The scramble, driven by demand for superior facilities and academic prestige, saw about 100,000 applications for slots in about 20 top-tier schools.

In response, the Ministry of Education directed parents seeking transfers to submit formal requests, with approvals dependent on school capacity, learner performance, and the availability of vacancies.

However, fresh claims now suggest that some schools may have admitted learners beyond their capacity, overstretching existing facilities.

Parents allege that this strain has prompted administrators to increase fees in a bid to meet the demands of larger student populations.

“These principals are notorious for selling slots to parents under the table. Then, because of greed, the school is overwhelmed by a high number of students. They then start burdening parents with all sorts of questionable charges and increments,” a parent claimed.

The charging of unauthorised fees is illegal and constitutes a violation of both the constitution and Ministry of Education guidelines.

Under the Basic Education Act, 2013, as well as a High Court ruling delivered in June 2025, any additional levy imposed by a school must receive written authorisation from the Education Cabinet Secretary.

The court affirmed that all fees, levies, or charges—including remedial fees, development funds, and special activity charges—that are not explicitly approved are unlawful, regardless of whether parents may have endorsed them in school meetings.

In a case involving a Nairobi school, the court also found it unreasonable for an institution to compel parents to pay cash for lost items such as textbooks without offering the alternative of replacing them directly.

The ruling noted that parents should be allowed to source such materials from the market at more affordable prices.

In a gazette notice dated February 6, 2026, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba outlined a revised fee structure for senior schools, clearly detailing the cost-sharing framework between parents and the government.

Under the new structure, the government continues to provide Sh22,244 per student in capitation. This amount covers teaching and learning materials, examinations, co-curricular activities, medical cover, the Strengthening of Mathematics and Science in Secondary Education (SMASSE) programme, administration, and maintenance.

Ogamba directed that, effective January 5, 2026, day senior schools would remain tuition-free, while fees for boarding schools would stay within previously approved caps across the various school categories.

The highest amount payable by parents in boarding schools was capped at Sh53,554 for boarding-related expenses and other vote heads, bringing the total cost to Sh75,798 when combined with government capitation.

For schools previously charging a maximum of Sh40,535, the parental contribution remains unchanged at that level, with the government’s Sh22,244 bringing the total to Sh62,779.

The CS said boarding fees fully covered by parents range between Sh25,385 and Sh30,385, depending on the category of the school.

Meanwhile, the cap for special needs schools was set at Sh70,764, with the government contributing Sh57,974 and parents Sh12,790.

The Cabinet Secretary directed that all fees be paid across the three academic terms in a 50:30:20 ratio.

He cautioned that no public school is permitted to levy additional charges outside the approved structure unless such changes are formally gazetted.

The Sh22,244 capitation provided by the government includes Sh4,144 for tuition, Sh1,500 for co-curricular activities, Sh2,000 for medical care and insurance, and Sh200 for SMASSE.

Additional allocations include Sh9,400 for administration, learning and teaching materials, electricity, water and conservancy, and personal emoluments, as well as Sh5,000 for maintenance and improvement.

The personal emoluments vote caters for salaries of non-teaching staff employed by school Boards of Management (BOM), including secretaries, security personnel, cooks, and groundsmen.