Government Dismisses Claims of School Fee Increase Before January Reopening
The Ministry of Education has strongly dismissed reports suggesting that boarding fees in public senior schools have been increased ahead of the January 2026 school reopening.
In a statement released on Thursday, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba termed the circulating information as false and misleading, urging parents and guardians to ignore such claims.
Ogamba explained that there has been no change or adjustment to the boarding fees or any other charges payable by students in public senior schools.
He confirmed that the current fee structure, as established by the Ministry of Education, remains valid and will continue to be applied in all schools.
“Our attention has been drawn to reports in some media outlets claiming that boarding fees in public senior schools have been revised upwards,” read part of the statement. “Parents, learners, and members of the public are advised to note that there has been no revision of boarding fees whatsoever,” the CS added.
The Education CS further emphasized that the government remains committed to ensuring that all learners receive adequate financial support through the national capitation programme.
He reiterated that the approved capitation amount for each learner in senior schools stands at Ksh22,244 per year, a figure that the government continues to honor.
Ogamba reassured parents that the State is determined to uphold its constitutional obligation to make education accessible and affordable to all Kenyan children, regardless of their background or location.
His statement comes in response to widespread reports suggesting that the government was planning to raise school fees due to ongoing budgetary challenges affecting the education sector.
The reports alleged that a new uniform annual fee of Ksh53,000 had been introduced for all boarding senior secondary schools, replacing the previous model where fees varied from one school to another — a claim the CS has firmly denied.
Earlier this year, on June 16, the High Court ruled that no school headteacher or principal is allowed to introduce or collect extra levies without formal approval from the Education Cabinet Secretary.
The ruling came after a petition was filed by a parent from a prominent school in Nairobi, challenging the growing trend of unapproved charges in schools.
Across many schools in Kenya, extra levies are commonly charged to cover specific needs such as maintenance of facilities, infrastructure development, extracurricular activities, examination materials, remedial lessons, and lunch programs.
While some of these charges may be genuine, several school heads have reportedly been taking advantage of loopholes to impose unauthorized fees on parents.
Education stakeholders have called on the Ministry to take firm action against such practices, arguing that they burden parents and contradict the government’s efforts to make education affordable for all.
The government has now reassured Kenyans that it will monitor schools closely and ensure that no student is denied access to education due to illegal or inflated charges.
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