State to appeal court ruling on school fees via eCitizen

The government has announced that it will appeal the High Court ruling that declared illegal the directive requiring parents to pay school fees through the eCitizen platform.

The ruling issued on Tuesday, has sparked debate regarding the legality and practicality of the policy, which the government argues was aimed at streamlining school fees payments and curbing fraud.

However, the High Court found that the directive, issued by the Ministry of Education, violated the rights of parents and guardians by imposing a financial burden, as it excluded those without access to internet or digital payment methods.

Speaking at Kwa Njenga Primary School in Nairobi County after officially receiving eight classrooms and three ablution blocks built by the United States Department of Defence, the Principal Secretary for Basic Education Julius Bitok revealed that the ministry is working with the Attorney General’s office to file a formal appeal against the ruling by Justice Chacha Mwita.

Prof Bitok said the plan to pay school fees through eCitizen is intended to safeguard parents and guardians from potential exploitation by rogue school administrators and to enhance transparency.

“We are going to appeal the decision... The reason why the government decided to go in that direction was to make payments by parents and stakeholders as transparent as possible,” Prof Bitok said.

So that everybody can see what is being paid The PS observed that investment in education is part of a broader commitment by the government to improve the efficiency and quality of the education sector.

“So far, the Kenyan government has constructed over 16,000 classrooms for Grade 9 learners in the country. The Kwa Njenga Primary School amenities commissioned today will come in handy in supporting quality education in advancing access to quality education in urban informal settlements.

"The Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) equips learners with universal skills to compete globally. The implementation of CBC has inevitably constrained available learning resources in our institutions and Kwa Njenga Primary School is certainly not an exception. These facilities we are commissioning effectively address this challenge,” he said.

US Ambassador to Kenya Marc Dillard handed over the Sh84 million project, which also includes a perimeter fence and the grading and drainage in the school, which draws its 2,228 pupils from the nearby informal settlements.

“We have invested $650,000 in this project, creating space for 600 students to expand their education,” said the ambassador.

The PS noted that the investment was a much-needed boon that will alleviate the strain on the school's existing infrastructure and the demands of the competency-based curriculum.

He said the government will prioritise expansion of school infrastructure to cope with CBC saying the new curriculum was essential in preparing Kenyan learners for a fast-changing global environment

“The Government of Kenya highly values the partnership built with the US over the years. Through initiatives like this, the US has gained our appreciation and recognition as a respected partner. We commend your commitment and contribution to this project,” he said.

“Our future is inextricably linked to the education of our children. Partnerships, such as the one we are celebrating today, should, therefore, rank high in priority areas of mutual assistance and responsibilities,” he added.

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