Parents struggle with high costs of textbooks, uniforms and travel

The reopening of schools yesterday was clouded by confusion as parents expressed uncertainty over whether Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) candidates, whose results have yet to be released, should report to junior secondary school.

Schools with extra classrooms directed Grade 9 students to report, while others struggled to accommodate the new cohort due to a lack of space.

Parents of children transitioning to Grade 9 also faced the challenge of rising costs for learning materials, with some schools directing them to purchase textbooks for the new curriculum.

Bookshops across the country were crowded with parents rushing to buy textbooks for their children. A spot check in several towns revealed widespread confusion among parents about which textbooks were required.

“I have a Grade 9 pupil, and I have been told to buy eight textbooks for one child, with each book costing Sh980,” said James Shitandi.

Shitandi called on the government to reduce the financial burden on parents by not frequently changing textbooks. “There is no need to change textbooks every year. My younger children should be able to use the same books used by their older siblings, rather than being forced to buy new ones,” he said.

Too expensive

Andrew Sikolia, a parent at Mwisikoma Primary and Junior Secondary School, lamented the high number of books he was required to purchase. “I have to buy 12 books of 200 pages, but I was shocked to find that each book cost Sh210. I don’t have enough money. The government promised affordable education, but these costs are making it too expensive for many parents,” said Sikolia, a boda boda rider.

Sikolia urged headteachers to allow students to stay in school as parents raised funds for fees.

Dickson Ambani, a parent in Kakamega Town, protested the requirement to buy ream papers, which he said had become a profitable business for many schools. “I have three children, one in senior secondary school and two in junior secondary school, and I need to buy nine reams of paper, three for each pupil, with each ream costing Sh700. The government should investigate why schools are demanding ream paper. Some schools are even selling the same products,” Ambani said.

In Bungoma and Busia counties, parents urged the government to release textbooks to schools on time and resolve the confusion surrounding the transition.

In addition to the high cost of textbooks and uniforms, parents also had to deal with inflated transport fares, as public service vehicles and boda boda operators increased their rates to take advantage of the influx of students returning to school.

For instance, fares from Kisumu to Kakamega rose to Sh300 and Sh400, up from between Sh200 and Sh250.

Banks in the Western region also experienced long queues as parents scrambled to pay school fees.

In Mombasa, confusion surrounded the transition to new classes. “I received a text to take my child, who is going to Grade 7, to school on Thursday. I expected the exam results to be released first,” said Beatrice Gamble, a parent at LosaJoy Education Centre in Likoni, Mombasa.

James Kenga, another parent, said it was unclear if his son, who sat for KPSEA, was supposed to report to school, as his institution had no extra classrooms. “I’m told some schools with extra classrooms have directed Grade 9 students to report, but we are stranded because our school lacks the space and there has been no communication from the headteacher,” Kenga said.

Meanwhile, hundreds of students crowded bus offices in Mombasa to travel to schools in other parts of the country. Some bus companies raised fares, with tickets to destinations such as Siaya, Busia, Kisumu, and Kakamega now costing between Sh3,000 and Sh3,700, up from the previous fare of Sh2,200.

At Mwembe Tayari main bus terminus, several bus companies, including Modern Coast and Simba Coach, were busy as students heading to various destinations filled the seats they had reserved.

Parents accompanying their children to bus stations complained about the high bus fares. One ticket clerk at Coast Bus said they were charging Sh3,000 to Kisumu but noted that their services were fully booked until January 10.

New bus companies, such as Nyamira Express and Royal Bus, have taken advantage of the surge in demand by introducing new fleets.

At the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), all passenger trains were fully booked until January 20.

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In Kericho, schools that had been directed to close their boarding facilities for failing to meet safety standards have now been allowed to reopen after addressing the Ministry of Education’s requirements.

Nancy Kenduiywo, Director of SallyAnn Academy in Bureti Constituency, confirmed that the institution had made the necessary improvements.

“The Ministry of Education had instructed us to remodel the stairs and emergency exits. We have complied with these directives, and after an inspection, we have been authorised to reopen our boarding wing,” she said.

Joseph Terer, Director of Upper Hill Academy, which had been cited for overcrowded dormitories and inadequate sanitation facilities, also confirmed that they had made the required changes.

“Works were completed during the holidays, and we expanded the facilities to meet the needs of our pupils,” he said.

Kipkelion East MP Joseph Cherorot emphasized the need for a balanced approach to enforcing safety standards, urging the government to give schools a reasonable timeframe to comply with the required safety regulations instead of resorting to closures that could disrupt learning.

In November last year, the Ministry of Education ordered the immediate closure of boarding sections in 348 primary schools across the country for failing to meet safety standards.

Reporting by Nikko Tanui, Benard Lusigi, Mary Imenza, Willis Oketch and Clinton Ambujo.