01/07/2026
The Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA) has proposed a steep school fees hike during its annual national conference in Mombasa, sparking widespread public backlash from parents across the country. Citing skyrocketing inflation, a massive KSh 22.5 billion government capitation deficit, and the high costs of implementing the Competency-Based Education (CBE) curriculum, school principals are urging the Ministry of Education to review fee structures that have stayed flat since 2015.The proposed structure would raise fees in national boarding schools from KSh 53,554 to KSh 87,781, while extra-county and county boarding institutions would jump from KSh 40,535 to KSh 83,622. Even students in public day schools, who currently enjoy free tuition under the Free Day Secondary Education (FDSE) policy, would be required to pay KSh 7,675 annually.Impact if the Government Ignores Parents' NeedsIf the government yields strictly to the principals' demands or fails to clear the severe funding deficits, the consequences will heavily fracture both household dynamics and the public education ecosystem:📉 Effects on Parents and HouseholdsExtreme Financial Distress: Already burdened by an intense cost of living, families would face a choice between sacrificing basic human necessities or struggling to raise thousands of extra shillings for tuition.Spike in School Dropouts: Thousands of vulnerable students, particularly those in day schools who cannot afford the new KSh 7,675 out-of-pocket baseline, risk being forced out of the formal education system altogether.Mass Migration to Shoddy Alternatives: Low-income families will likely pull their children from mainstream public secondary schools, crowding lower-tier institutions or halting secondary learning entirely.🏫 Effects on Schools and Learning InstitutionsSevere Operational Paralysis: If the government rejects the fee hike but refuses to release full, timely capitation grants, schools will not have enough funds to purchase food, fuel, laboratory supplies, or electricity.Collapse of the CBC Curriculum: The hands-on learning, equipment, and unique facilities mandated by the modern Competency-Based Education system will remain unfinanced and unavailable to teachers.Escalating Institutional Unrest: Chronic shortages of food, learning resources, and electricity are historically linked to deteriorating student discipline, creating potential triggers for strikes or campus riots
