Uniform Fee Structure Introduced

The Ministry of Education has formally abolished the long-standing categorisation of secondary schools, introducing a standardised annual fee of KSh 53,554 for all public senior boarding schools, effective January 2026. The directive, detailed in the Ministry's "Guidelines for Implementation of Senior School Education 2025," eliminates the classifications of National, Extra-County, County, and Sub-County schools, which were traditionally based on performance, infrastructure, and location. The government stated the move aims to standardise operations and promote fairness and transparency across all learning institutions.

Financial Implications for Kenyan Households

The new flat-fee policy represents a significant financial shift for Kenyan families, with the impact varying depending on the type of school their children previously attended. For parents with children in National and Extra-County schools, particularly those in major urban centres like Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu, the KSh 53,554 fee is not new; it aligns with the amount they were already paying as of 2022 and 2023. However, the policy will deliver a substantial financial shock to parents whose children are enrolled in schools previously categorised as County or Sub-County boarding schools. Under the old structure, these schools charged significantly less. For instance, in 2022, "Category B" boarding schools (which included many county-level institutions) had a government-stipulated fee of KSh 40,535. More recent reports from October 2023 indicated county school fees were around KSh 45,000 per year. This means that under the new unified system, these parents will see an annual increase of between KSh 8,500 and KSh 13,000 per child. The move is expected to shift a heavier financial burden onto these families, a concern highlighted in initial media reports.

Regulatory Framework and Enforcement

According to the Ministry's guidelines announced on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, the legal basis for the standardised fee is the Gazette Notice No. 1555 of March 10, 2015. To curb unauthorised charges, the Ministry has mandated that any additional levies must receive written approval from the Cabinet Secretary through the respective County Education Board. Schools are now required to issue official fee structures at the beginning of each academic year, clearly itemising vote heads for tuition, boarding, meals, and activities. Furthermore, the guidelines prohibit schools from sending students home for non-payment of boarding fees, a directive anchored in the Basic Education Act of 2013. To accommodate parents facing financial difficulties, schools are permitted to accept fee payments in instalments, provided there is a mutually signed payment plan.

Context of Ongoing Education Reforms

This policy shift is part of the broader reforms within the Kenyan education sector, aligning with the implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) and the transition to Senior School (Grades 10, 11, and 12). The first cohort of students under this new system, who recently completed their Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA), will be the first to experience this unified fee structure upon entering Grade 10 in 2026. The changes coincide with ongoing debates about education funding. School principals, through the Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA), have repeatedly warned that the government's capitation grant of KSh 22,244 per student is insufficient to run schools, citing high inflation. In February 2025, KESSHA had proposed a fee hike to KSh 73,182 for national schools and KSh 68,023 for county schools to cover operational deficits. Similarly, the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has often defended fee increases by principals, attributing them to chronic delays and shortfalls in the government's disbursement of capitation funds. The National Parents Association, led by Chairman Silas Obuhatsa, has consistently opposed fee hikes, urging the government to increase capitation instead and for schools to adhere strictly to ministry guidelines. As of Wednesday, November 5, 2025, the major teaching unions and the parents' association had not issued a formal statement specifically responding to the newly announced standardised fee policy. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REQUIRED.

Accountability and Governance

The new guidelines also place a strong emphasis on financial accountability. School Boards of Management (BoMs) are tasked with the prudent use of all collected funds and must present annual financial reports to the Parents' Association (PA). Any proposed fee increments or special levies for development projects must first be discussed and agreed upon with the PA before seeking final approval from the Ministry. This measure is intended to increase transparency and give parents more oversight on how school funds are utilised, addressing long-standing concerns about opaque financial management in some institutions.