Kenyan Parents, Government Clash Over Public School Funding

(NAIROBI, KENYA) – A sharp debate over the funding of public education is unfolding in Kenya, with a proposal to more than double secondary school fees drawing strong objections from parents and teachers alike. The dispute holds important lessons for South Sudan, where families also carry a heavy burden of education costs amid fragile state support.

School principals in Kenya, under their Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA), have put forward a plan that would raise annual fees in national boarding schools from 53,554 Kenyan shillings (about 411 US dollars or 2,671,500 South Sudanese pounds) to 87,781 shillings (about 675 dollars or 4,387,500 SSP).

Parents with children in extra county and county boarding schools would see fees climb from 40,535 shillings (about 312 dollars or 2,028,000 SSP) to 83,622 shillings (about 643 dollars or 4,179,500 SSP).

Even day school learners, who currently pay no tuition beyond government support, would be asked to contribute 7,675 shillings (about 59 dollars or 383,500 SSP) each year.

The government capitation per secondary school student stands at 22,244 shillings (about 171 dollars or 1,111,500 SSP) annually, a figure that has been falling over time. School heads say they have received only 56 percent of the expected annual capitation by the second term of 2026, leaving a funding gap equal to 24 percent of the allocation per learner.

KESSHA argues that rising prices of food, fuel, electricity, salaries and learning materials have made the current fees unsustainable. The introduction of Competency Based Education has added costs through specialised subjects that demand new equipment, infrastructure and teachers.

If the government does not increase capitation or release it on time, schools say they will have to cut services, delay repairs, hold back payments to suppliers or seek extra contributions from parents.

Parents have firmly rejected the proposal. The National Parents Association (NPA) said the financial burden must not be shifted to households.

The NPA national chairperson, Silas Obuhatsa, said the government funds education to the extent it can afford, but parents should not be made to carry the cost of any shortfall.

The association instead urged the State to find alternative ways to support schools, warning that higher fees would pile more pressure on families already struggling with a high cost of living.

The parents’ body questioned the logic of asking a parent who cannot raise 1,000 shillings (about 7 dollars and 70 cents or 50,000 SSP) to suddenly find 30,000 shillings (about 231 dollars or 1,501,500 SSP). It warned that vulnerable families, particularly those with children joining senior school, risk being locked out of education entirely.

Some parents said any discussion on raising fees must first be accompanied by a review of government funding. Mr Obuhatsa said the key question is how much more capitation the government is willing to increase before families are asked to pay more.

He added that the State has the final mandate to approve any fee review, and any decision must reflect the financial strain many households already face.

Parents insisted that school administrators should direct their demands to the government, arguing that families are already paying for learning materials, transport, uniforms and many other school related expenses.

The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) Deputy Secretary General Moses Nthurima said schools continue to face financial uncertainty because of inconsistencies in the release of government funds.

He said it is becoming difficult to track how much capitation is being disbursed due to constant changes in the disbursement criteria and contradictory circulars issued by the Ministry of Education.

The Kenya Teachers in Hardship and Arid Areas Welfare Association (KETHAWA) National Secretary Ndung’u Wangenye opposed the proposed fee increases. He said any adjustments should only be made by individual schools after receiving approval from parents and the Ministry of Education.

He noted that schools face different financial pressures and a uniform approach would be unfair. Mr Wangenye called for the immediate release of capitation, saying arrears dating back to 2018 have continued to pile up and must be cleared gradually.

He further stated that schools requiring additional funding should first seek parental approval during an annual general meeting before forwarding the proposal to the ministry.

For South Sudan, the Kenyan debate mirrors local worries. Public funding for education remains weak, and families often pay for teacher salaries, learning materials and school operations. Any policy that pushes more costs onto parents risks deepening inequality and pushing the most vulnerable children out of classrooms.