Ogamba orders disciplinary action against city school principal over illegal fees

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has directed the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to institute disciplinary action against the principal of a Nairobi girls’ school following findings of irregular fee charges imposed on parents.

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In a letter dated April 29, 2026 and addressed to acting TSC chief executive officer Eveleen Mitei, Ogamba said investigations by the Ministry of Education established that the school had implemented an unauthorised fees structure.

The ministry’s assessment, conducted on April 28, found that the principal presided over the introduction of additional levies that pushed the financial burden on parents to Sh120,179—well above the government-sanctioned figure of Sh53,558.

According to the ministry, the revised charges were imposed without the approval of the Cabinet Secretary as required under Section 29(2)(b) of the Basic Education Act, 2013, rendering them unlawful.

The findings further indicate that the school administration facilitated the adoption and implementation of a budget containing non-essential and unrealistic expenditure items, raising concerns over financial prudence and compliance with government policy.

“In view of the foregoing, we recommend that the Teachers Service Commission institutes appropriate disciplinary action against the Principal on account of her failure to comply and ensure compliance with the provisions of the Basic Education Act, 2013 and the resultant government policies and directives,” Ogamba said in the letter.

The directive comes against the backdrop of sweeping reforms in school fees aimed at eliminating arbitrary charges and easing the burden on parents.

In a Gazette notice dated February 6, 2026, Ogamba unveiled a new fees structure for public senior schools designed to standardise charges across the country, enhance transparency and protect parents from excessive levies.

Under the revised framework, day senior schools are effectively free, with the government covering the full cost of Sh22,244 per student.

This includes Sh4,144 for tuition, Sh1,500 for co-curricular activities, Sh2,000 for medical and insurance, and Sh200 for SMASSE programmes.

For boarding senior schools, the fees vary depending on previously approved caps.

Schools that were earlier allowed to charge up to Sh53,554 will now have a total cost of Sh75,798, with parents paying up to Sh53,554 while the government contributes Sh22,244.

In institutions where the previous maximum stood at Sh40,535, parents will continue to pay that amount, topped up by a government contribution of Sh22,244 to bring the total to Sh62,779.

Other cost components include Sh9,400 for administration, learning and teaching materials, electricity, water and conservancy, and physical education, alongside Sh5,000 allocated for maintenance and improvement.

Parents are not required to pay for key components such as teaching and learning materials, medical and insurance, and SMASSE, as these are fully covered by government funding.

Boarding-related costs—covering areas such as meals, accommodation and associated services—are borne by parents and range between Sh25,385 and Sh30,385 depending on the category of the school.

Special needs schools have also been factored into the revised structure, with parents expected to pay Sh12,790 while the government contributes Sh57,974 per learner, bringing the total to Sh70,764.

The latest action by the ministry signals a tightening of oversight in the education sector, with officials warning that school heads who flout approved fees guidelines will face disciplinary consequences.