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Parents Grapple With High Costs Of Books As Schools Reopen

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Parents grapple with high costs of books as schools reopen

Parents are feeling the pressure of having to pay school fees for the fourth time in a year.

As schools reopened today, parents said, apart from paying the required fees, some schools were demanding extra money to cater for tuition classes. Others decried the high costs of books and school uniforms.

Some said other schools had imposed extra levies on parents, citing the need to expand infrastructure to accommodate the increased number of students as a result of the 100 per cent transition from primary to secondary level.

The extra charges are channelled in special development school accounts or sent to the parent representatives, who then send the amount to the class teacher.

At Mugoiri Girls High School in Murang’a County, each parent is required to pay Sh5,200 for a new school bus project, Sh3,000 per term for extra tuition, and Sh1,500 for installation of smart screens in all classes.

In Nyeri town, Purity Karuga, who was shopping with her Form Three son, said their school had demanded an extra Sh10,000 for an infrastructure upgrade.

“It is a hard year, and that happens even as we are earning peanuts from our tea farms this year,” Ms Karuga said.

Peter Kamaru, another parent from Murang’a County, said parents have now resorted to borrowing money from shy locks who demand repayment in a month.

“I have obtained Sh40,000 at a 25 per cent interest rate to pay fees for my three children. This is punitive to the parents who have lost hope of accessing bursary from the CDF,” he said.

Jane Wanjiru said the schools have reopened, but most parents had no school fees. “We shall plead with principals to allow our children for some time.”

The Murang’a County government said it had released Sh20 million to finance 3,000 students under the Nyota Zetu Education Programme.

Governor Mwangi wa Iria said the programme is designed to help the needy access quality education.

“This is one of the programmes designed to increase the number of professionals in the county,” said Iria.

In Meru County, Margaret Nkatha, a parent from Tigania East, said they were looking forward to the reopening of the schools but they lacked financial resources.

She said the drought had hit the area affecting their main income-generating stream, khat or miraa sales.

Kairi Ituuru, the headteacher of Antuanduru Mixed Secondary School in Tigania East, said principals were grateful following the government announcement that capitation had been sent to schools.

“With most parents decrying inability to raise fees, the government resources will come in handy,” said Ituuru, who also chairs the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (Kessha) in the area.

In Eldoret town, it was business as usual at books and school uniform stores as parents lined up to buy school items in preparation for the new term.

Nelly Kichwen, a parent from Ziwa in Uasin Gishu, spent the better part of the day in Eldoret town shopping for her five school-going children.

“Book prices have increased. I am buying a book that was sold at Sh500 last month at over Sh600 right now, which means I will use more money than I had budgeted for,” Kichwen said.

As for Stanley Chepkulei, a parent from Simat, the increase in fuel prices had affected the price of every commodity in the market, and parents will have to dig deeper into their pockets.

“I came to buy school uniforms and other items for my child, a student from St Teresa Tartar in West Pokot County, I paid more than I expected. We urge the government to reduce the cost of fuel,” he said.

Chepkulei said parents should ensure that they give their children enough money if they are travelling by themselves to school because there could be an increase in bus fares due to the high cost of fuel.

The parents have also asked the government to step in and provide some learning materials for pupils, especially those under the new Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).

Eunice Cherop, a parent to a Grade Five pupil, said CBC is a competitive curriculum that requires joint efforts from the parent and government.

Cherop, an Education Officer, said most parents are disadvantaged by the new curriculum.

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General News

IMF Criticizes Kenya’s Fuel Subsidy Re-Introduction, Warns of Budget Distortion

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IMF Criticizes Kenya's Fuel Subsidy Re-Introduction, Warns of Budget Distortion

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has criticized Kenya for re-implementing the fuel subsidy scheme, expressing concerns that the lack of funds to pay oil marketers could distort the budget.

Despite a previous commitment by President William Ruto in 2022 not to subsidize pump prices, the government reintroduced the subsidy, preventing petrol and diesel prices from reaching higher levels in October 2023.

The IMF argues that the subsidy was applied without available funds, as the Treasury has yet to pay oil marketers at least Ksh9 billion ($55.6 million) accumulated from the previous year. President Ruto’s decision to reinstate subsidies goes against conditions set by the IMF for accessing loans.

Petrol and diesel prices, which were Ksh217.36 ($1.34) and Ksh205.47 ($1.27) respectively in Nairobi in October 2023, remained lower than the potential Ksh220.43 ($1.36) and Ksh217.11 ($1.34) due to the subsidy. However, the IMF disapproves of the decision, emphasizing that the removal of the subsidy was a key condition for a 38-month budget support scheme.

IMF Criticizes Kenya's Fuel Subsidy Re-Introduction, Warns of Budget Distortion

The IMF criticizes the prolonged process of forming a taskforce and delays in implementing decisions regarding fuel pricing.

The removal of the subsidy in May of the previous year led to record-high pump prices, crossing the Ksh200-mark later in the year due to a combination of subsidy removal and a VAT increase to 16 percent.

Kenya’s administration, faced with rising fuel costs, chose to reinstate the subsidy, prompting the IMF to raise alarms over the lack of budgeted funds and potential distortions in the country’s financial plans.

The ongoing disagreement highlights the challenges and consequences associated with balancing domestic economic policies and meeting international financial commitments

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Parents in Meru County Turn to Second-Hand Books Amid Economic Hardships

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Parents in Meru County Turn to Second-Hand Books Amid Economic Hardships

As the back-to-school rush season unfolds in Meru County, a growing number of parents are making a strategic choice to purchase second-hand books for their children.

This decision stems from the challenging economic conditions that have prompted families to seek ways to cut costs.

Among these parents is Ms. Prisca Gakii, who revealed that opting for second-hand books allows her to save money, which can then be allocated towards essential expenses like school fees.

She highlighted a practical advantage for Form-One students, emphasizing that using older books can protect them from potential theft, as new books often become targets for less scrupulous classmates.

Parents in Meru County Turn to Second-Hand Books Amid Economic Hardships

Ms. Gakii pointed out a notable price difference, citing an example of a new Oxford dictionary priced at almost Sh1,900, compared to a used one available for Sh1400.

She justified her preference for the older but more affordable option, emphasizing that they contain the same content.

Janet Wamuyu, a second-hand books trader, shed light on the lucrative nature of their business during the opening of the first term, which coincides with the peak season.

As learners transition to new grades or classes, there is a heightened demand for various books, including dictionaries, Kamusi, and Golden Bells.

Parents in Meru County Turn to Second-Hand Books Amid Economic Hardships

Wamuyu explained that this period, especially when Form-One students are joining school, facilitates easy acquisition of books for new stock.

The trading process involves exchanging books for the next grade or class at a lower rate, providing an economical alternative for parents instead of purchasing an entirely new set of books.

She further noted that their source of new stock comes from parents whose children have completed their studies and no longer require the books.

Despite the success during the peak season, Wamuyu acknowledged the challenges faced during other times of the year when only a few revision books are in demand, highlighting the cyclical nature of the business in Meru County.

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