Education

State directs national school parents to pay fees via e-citizen

Education PS. Belio Kipsang' at a past event. (X/KNEC)

By Lucy Mumbi | Saturday, February 3, 2024

School heads have been ordered to provide all their institutions' bank account details by February 6, 2024.

Keep reading

The Ministry of Education announced the changes in a circular dated January 31, 2024.

Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang' said the changes are part of the government's directives of onboarding all its services onto the e-citizen platform to enhance service delivery.

"The directorate of e-Citizen in partnership with the Information Communication Technology Authority (ICTA), Ministry of Information, Communication and the Digital Economy and the National Treasury have been coordinating the onboarding of all government services onto the e-citizen platform to enhance service delivery," Kipsang' said.

"As part of compliance with the requirements, it is directed that parents/guardians make fee payments for their learners in your institutions through this platform."

Additionally, national school heads have been ordered to provide all their institutions' bank account details by February 6, 2024.

"In preparation for the launch, please provide all your institutions' bank account details in the following format: Account name, bank, account number, bank code, branch code," Kipsang' said.

"Please ensure that the aforementioned information is submitted to the office of the Director General, State Department for Basic Education not later than February 6, 2024, by emailing dg@education.go.ke and copying to: sa.basic@education.go.ke."

This comes barely a day after the Ministry warned public schools against asking parents for extra levies outside the authorized fees guidelines.

According to Kipsang', the Constitution of Kenya 2010 mandates the government to implement free and compulsory basic education for all school-going children. Therefore, no extra fee should be charged beyond the authorized.

He said the rule has been negated by public schools that are reported to be charging parents unauthorised levies.

"Primary and Junior Schools are predominantly day schools and the Ministry caters for the requisite tuition requirements through Capitation; for the avoidance of doubt, no fees will be charged by Public Primary and Junior Schools," Kipsang' said in a statement on Friday.

He further called on directors of education at regional, county and sub-county levels to bring to his attention any case where a school principal, board of management and head teachers resort to charging unauthorized levies.

"Every sub-county director and county director of education will be held liable for any breach within their area of jurisdiction," he said.

"County Directors and Sub County Directors of Education should utilize a multi-agency approach to ensure adherence to the authorized fees structure and implementation of Free and Compulsory Basic Education."