Kenya: Junior Secondary School Is Free, CS Machogu Warns Institutions Charging Unauthorized Levies

30 January 2023
Capital FM (Nairobi)
By Jemimah Mueni

Nairobi — The Education Cabinet Secretary has said that Junior Secondary School is free, contrary to reports that learners joining Junior Secondary are required to pay some fees.

Speaking after monitoring the reporting of Grade seven learners to Junior Secondary School at Nairobi Primary Monday, CS Machogu said the government has catered for all the expenses and that no Grade 7 learner should be left out in the ongoing transition.

The CS urged all parents and guardians of Grade VII learners to ensure the children report to schools noting that it's compulsory, in line with the government's 100 per cent transition initiative.

"I want to clarify that Junior Secondary School is free and compulsory. No Principal, School board, PTA or any other person is allowed to come up with unauthorized levies in the name of registration fees," CS Machogu stated.

The CS also reported that all Grade VII learners in public schools will be issued with a text book in each of the core learning areas at Junior Secondary School and the optional subjects they will choose.

He said that a total of 17,893,270 copies of learners' books and 423,514 copies of teachers' guides will be distributed by the end of the exercise next week.

"The government of Kenya has disbursed a total of Sh3,164,365,856 billion which has purchased all the required books for Grade seven which again are free for all public Junior Secondary learners, and we have adequate books that will be given to each student," he said.

The distribution schedule will run from January 30 and February 17, 2023.

Additionally, headteachers have been advised to check the number of books supplied to their schools.

Any school that may have variances between the number of books delivered in relation to the number of learners in Grade seven should report to the Sub County Education office.

The Ministry of Education has already released comprehensive interim guidelines to all schools and field officers on how the Grade VI learners will be transitioning to Junior Secondary School learning.

CS Machogu noted that all this is in line with the government's commitment in implementing the much needed education reforms.

Read the original article on Capital FM.

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