The Ministry of Education has released a new senior school fees structure to standardise charges across public institutions nationwide.
The move targets illegal levies and long-running confusion among parents and learners. Officials say the new framework creates clarity on what government will pay and what parents must cover.
The structure appears in a gazette notice dated Friday, February 6. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba issued the directive under the Basic Education Act. It applies to all public senior schools under both the Competency-Based Education system and the 8-4-4 system. No public school falls outside this directive.
The ministry designed the structure to remove discretionary charges introduced by individual schools. For years, some schools added unofficial levies beyond approved limits.
That practice created unequal financial pressure across regions. The new structure sets fixed categories and funding responsibilities.
The framework covers Day Senior Schools, Boarding Senior Schools under two cost bands, and Special Needs Schools. Each category has a defined cost breakdown. Each funding source is clearly assigned. Schools must follow these allocations without modification.
For Day Senior Schools, the government will fully fund all approved fees. Parents will not pay any charges in this category. The total allocation per learner stands at Ksh22,244 annually. This amount covers several defined expense lines.
Tuition receives Ksh4,144 per learner each year. Activity fees receive Ksh1,500. Medical and insurance coverage receives Ksh2,000. SMASSE allocation stands at Ksh200. Administration and other vote heads receive Ksh9,400. Maintenance and improvement receive Ksh5,000.
This funding model removes any justification for extra billing in day schools. If a day school demands additional money, it violates the directive. Parents should treat any extra charges as non-compliant. Enforcement now depends on oversight and reporting.
Boarding Senior Schools follow a shared cost model between government and parents. Government continues to fund tuition and core academic costs. Parents pay boarding-related expenses and selected operational items. The ministry divided boarding schools into two cost categories.
Schools previously authorised to charge up to Ksh53,554 will now show a total annual fee of Ksh75,798. Government will still contribute Ksh22,244 in those schools. Parents will cover the remaining Ksh53,554. That parent portion targets boarding and support services.
Schools that previously capped fees at Ksh40,535 now have a total annual fee of Ksh62,779. Government again contributes Ksh22,244 per learner. Parents pay the remaining Ksh40,535. The split remains fixed regardless of location.
Parent contributions in boarding schools follow specific line items. Boarding equipment and stores take Ksh25,385. Other vote heads take Ksh12,900. Activity fees take Ksh250. Maintenance and improvement take Ksh2,000. Tuition remains fully funded by government support.
Special Needs Schools follow a separate and higher support structure. These schools serve learners who require additional resources and specialised services. The total annual cost per learner stands at Ksh70,764. Government carries the larger burden in this category.
Government funding for special needs learners totals Ksh57,974 per year. Parents contribute Ksh12,790. Most parent contribution supports boarding equipment and maintenance needs. The higher government share reflects additional support requirements.
Cost lines in Special Needs Schools follow a detailed breakdown. Tuition receives Ksh4,144. Boarding equipment and stores receive Ksh23,220. Maintenance and improvement receive Ksh5,000. Other vote heads receive Ksh9,400.
Activity fees receive Ksh1,500 per learner. Medical and insurance receive Ksh2,000. Top-up support receives Ksh12,510. SMASSE receives Ksh200. These figures create a transparent funding map for each learner.
The directive takes effect from January 5, 2026. Schools must distribute fees across three terms using a 50:30:20 ratio. That means half the fees fall in first term. The remaining portion spreads across second and third terms.
The Cabinet Secretary also issued a strict compliance warning. Public schools must not charge tuition fees outside the approved structure. They must not introduce new levies under any label. Violations will attract administrative action if enforcement actually happens.
