Primary school pupils revising on their own. [Photo/Soko directory]
Is the basic education really free in Kenya?
The Jubilee government has insisted that both primary and secondary education will be free starting January 2018.
As a directive to the schools day secondary schools should only charge for lunch.
On the other hand, Primary schools should be absolutely free as most of them lack the lunch programme.
With January marking the beginning of the academic year, schools are admitting new students than at any other time of the year.
However, parents are getting shocked by the fees required to have their children admission.
A good example is Kaloleni primary school in Kamukunji Constituency in Nairobi county.
A parent narrated how she had to part with Ksh 8,000 to have her kid admitted to class 5.Other schools are following suit.
The schools' fee structures do not indicate this hidden charges.
Most of those from day secondary schools only indicate the lunch fees, only for the parents to get a rude shock of the 'hidden charges'. Things are worse in bigger boarding schools.
The parents association is yet to come out and condemn this vice.In the meantime parents and students continue to suffer in silence.
This happens despite the government claims that the education is free in both primary and secondary schools. *Is there a newsworthy accident, incident or event happening in Nairobi County that you want Hivisasa to cover? Tell us what is happening by Joining this group, and have it published.*https://chat.whatsapp.com/1rPpjj0QApl9wSsY5R2Wfy