Teachers Cautioned Against Taxing Junior High School Students

Any junior secondary school teacher who imposes levies on students will be required to reimburse the money and face disciplinary action.

Harrison Muriuki, the director of education for Uasin Gishu County, claims this. According to Muriuki, the government has ordered that students entering Grade 7 not be required to pay any money up front. He requested the names of any parents who may have been asked to pay any amount of money so that appropriate action might be done. Muriuki issued a warning: “Principals charging parents will be required to reimburse the money or risk further repercussions for disobeying the law.”

No parent should be required to bring desks to school in order for their child to be admitted, and neither the school’s management board nor the headteachers who are currently serving as junior secondary school principals should charge parents any fees. On Thursday, county commissioner Dr. Edison Nyale called a consultative public baraza in Mois Bridge, Soy subcounty, where Muriuki was speaking.

However, he regretted that 2130 kids who were supposed to move into Form One and 1190 students who were supposed to start junior secondary school have remained at home.

As the government allots Sh15,000 to each junior secondary school student, Uasin Gishu would earn Sh315 million as capitation for its 21,000 JSS students. Muriuki claims that 181 private schools and 491 state elementary schools in Uasin Gishu have been given permission to offer junior secondary education.