Machakos County Assembly minority leader, Thomas Kasoa, has called upon the Ministry of Education to scrap out activity fees as it is inconveniencing pupils from their studies.
Speaking on Tuesday while addressing the press outside the county assembly building in Machakos town, Kasoa lamented that school children are sent home almost every day for money that is not recognised in the ministry’s policy.
“We have noted that some teachers send pupils home for activity fees during class time, hence interrupting their studies,” said Kasoa.
He further said that the fee is not supposed to be compulsory since not all school going children are involved in sporting activities.
“There is no law in the education policy that requires payment of activity fees that is causing unrest in schools as pupils are sent home until the payment is done,” said Kasoa
Kasoa called upon the government to scrap all fees which not in line with the ministry's policy.
The activity fee should not be used as a precondition for students to continue with studies.
“In a case where one parent has five pupils in school and each one of them is forced to pay 200 shillings, which amounts to 1000 Kenya shillings which becomes a struggle to a poor parent,” notes Kasoa
Activity fees in schools are used to fund extra-curricular activities such as sports, drama and music competitions in the County and Sub- County levels.