Wilson Sossion Supports Magoha On Parents With School Fees Arrears

Monday’s directive by Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha that parents clear outstanding fee arrears could not have come at a better time for secondary school principals.

Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary-General has asked Education CS George Magoha not to abandon his push to have parents pay school fees and offset arrears

On Tuesday, June 8, Sossion argued that the delay by parents to shoulder their responsibility has affected institutions, more so, boarding schools. The Nominated MP called on Magoha to allow school heads to use harsh measures on parents.

It has been a delicate balancing act for principals as they struggle to run institutions while observing policy frameworks set out by the ministry to the letter.

According to an interview on Business Daily, Sossion said that It is the responsibility of principals to oversee schools and they require proper facilitations to avoid getting schools into chaos.

Headteachers lamented that tough government guidelines protected students from being sent home, expulsion, suspension, and facing other disciplinary measures. They complained that paying fees was not the only challenge Magoha had to address but also rising disciplinary issues.

Sossion further urged NGOs, County Development Funds (CDF), and guardians supporting needy students to avail funds earlier.

CS George Magoha was also asked to ensure that capitation money is released earlier to protect schools from plunging into a crisis for the government.

According to National Parents Association Chairman Nicholas Maiyo, he acknowledged Magoha’s call to parents on fee payment but asked him to protect them from alleged unscrupulous headteachers who had seized the opportunity to charge them extra funds of up to 12,500 shillings.

For the majority of school heads currently grappling with the enormous challenge of running institutions with limited resources, the announcement was music to their ears.

It has been a delicate balancing act for principals as they struggle to run institutions while observing policy frameworks set out by the ministry to the letter.

Secondary school principals have found themselves in a fix, ranging from delayed disbursement of capitation funds to huge school fee arrears.

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