For years, education policies have placed the responsibility of school fees and discipline on both parents and the government.
However, the burden has quietly shifted onto school administrators.
Principals have become fundraisers, financial managers, advocates, as well as instilling discipline in students.
Further, school heads are forced to organize events, seek donations from local businesses, and apply for grants to support needy students in their respective schools.
One such head teacher is Florence Ludenyo of Matulo Girls in Bungoma, who has introduced an innovative programme to ensure bright but needy students remain in school.
"I refused to sit pretty and watch as the ghost of poverty presides over the pursuit of success," she noted.
Others like Duncan Juma, Principal, Jamhuri High School have resorted to pairing needy students with teachers or older students for extra guidance and support.
"These students are incredibly talented, but they struggle financially. We have had to rely on teachers’ goodwill to keep them going, but now we want to provide sustainable support," said Juma after launching a Sh120 million Endowment Fund to support disadvantaged students.
School heads are also working with local organizations to identify and address the needs of vulnerable students.
At Katheka-Ka-Kai Secondary School, Principal Margaret Owaka and her teachers volunteered to pay fees for 13 needy students, all of whom eventually qualified for university.
“Together with other teachers, we paid their school fees from Form One to Four. Seeing them succeed makes all the sacrifices worth it. We could not stand by and watch their dreams die,” says Owaka.
But while many Principals have taken extraordinary steps to keep students in school, many schools, especially those with large populations of underprivileged students, reel under unpaid fees running into millions.
Thika High School, for example, is grappling with a staggering Sh1.9 million in unpaid fees left behind by last year's Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) candidates.
"We have about 50 students who left with huge fee balances. This has placed a heavy burden on the school," said one administrator.
While some parents genuinely struggle with financial hardships, others deliberately ignore to pay, assuming that schools will continue to function regardless of their contribution.
“We understand that some parents face financial difficulties, but there are also those who just refuse to pay, knowing we won’t send their children home. It is unfair to those who make an effort to pay and to the teachers who must work in these strained conditions,” said another Principal from Nairobi.
The principals are now calling on parents to fulfill their role by paying fees on time for them to provide quality meals and education.
According to the Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA) chairman Willie Kuria, behind school gates lie weighty burdens principals are forced to carry.
“We are caught between a rock and a hard place. On one hand, we are expected to follow government policies that prohibit sending students home for fee arrears. On the other hand, we need funds to pay teachers, provide meals, and keep the lights on. How do we balance that?” stated Kuria.
He said the situation puts head teachers in a dilemma of keeping schools running while ensuring that no child is sent home due to unpaid fees disclosing that some of them have resorted to using their own salaries to help those in desperate need.
“There are students who come to school hungry, with torn uniforms, and parents who promise to pay but never do. What do we do? We can’t chase them away,” he said.
As a result, Benson Manoo, Machakos School Principal says he is often forced to make tough decisions to keep the institution afloat.
“The money we receive from the government barely covers operational costs. When parents don’t pay, we have no choice but to accumulate debts with suppliers. We are running schools on goodwill and prayers,” explained Manoo.
In a recent report by Usawa Agenda, at least 40 per cent of learners drop out due to unpaid fees.
“While the government’s free primary and secondary education programme aims to ease financial strain, the situation is especially dire in arid and semi-arid areas where poverty levels are high,” said Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel Manyasa.
Beyond finances matters, school heads are often confronted with disciplinary and mental health cases