Nairobi — If even half of Kenya's Members of the National Assembly adopted the approach used in Kiharu Constituency, public education across the country could look markedly different, with lower fees, stable learning, and fewer disruptions.
That contrast has become even clearer following the launch of the 2026 Kiharu Masomo Bora Programme, under which parents of day secondary school learners in Kiharu will pay just Sh500 per term, even as schools elsewhere struggle with delayed capitation and rising operational costs.
The programme, led by Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, now supports more than 12,000 learners across all sixty-five day secondary schools in the constituency.
Across the country, many public schools have been forced to raise fees or send students home, despite free basic education being guaranteed under the Constitution.
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In Kiharu, those gaps are addressed through a structured, constituency-backed intervention.
Under the programme, learners receive daily lunch on all school days, including Saturdays, while schools receive additional funding for learning materials, co-curricular activities, and infrastructure.
Bridging capitation gap
Nyoro has allocated Sh10 million for revision materials, over Sh50 million for laboratories and classrooms, and Sh50,000 per school to supplement activity funds, acknowledging that government capitation remains insufficient.
Remedial fees have been capped at Sh1,000 per term, while all other charges have been abolished.
Top-performing and most-improved teachers will receive fully paid trips to Mombasa, while principals from the best-performing schools will travel to Dubai or Malaysia--incentives Nyoro says are funded privately.
"No other charges will be allowed in our day schools," Nyoro said during the launch, reiterating that education should not depend on a parent's ability to pay.
Nyoro has repeatedly argued that Kenya has the financial capacity to fully fund education, proposing a Sh30 billion consolidated education fund drawing from national, county, and NG-CDF allocations.
The Kiharu model has already drawn interest from lawmakers across the country, with more than 14 MPs having visited the constituency to benchmark, and several launching similar programmes in their areas.
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First launched in 2023, the Masomo Bora programme has expanded each year, reducing fees from Sh1,000 to Sh500 per term by 2026, a rare reversal at a time when education costs are rising elsewhere.
