Kuppet faults ministry directive to pay school fees through e-Citizen

Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) in Trans Nzoia has raised concern over the Ministry of Education directive to national schools to pay fees through the e-Citizen platform.

Kuppet Trans Nzoia chairperson Eliud Wafula urged the ministry to reconsider the decision and call for dialogue with stakeholders to find alternative solutions.

Wafula said the ministry would have considered implementing the programme in universities and technical institutes which handle huge sums of money.

He argued that teachers already have heavy workload and the responsibility of managing online fee payments will overburden them and take them away from their core duty of teaching.

"It's not proper for the principal to be reduced to only handling the students and not the resources," said Wafula.

He said most schools in rural areas do not have reliable internet and it will be difficult for parents and guardians to make online payments which could disenfranchise many students.

"This directive has been issued without proper consultation with stakeholders, particularly school administrators and teachers. It disregards the unique realities of different schools and could create unnecessary logistical hurdles that hinder smooth learning operations," stated Wafula.

Wafula noted that the e-Citizen platform has a history of technical glitches and downtime. "What happens if parents are unable to make payments due to such issues? Will students be denied access to education?" He posed.

The Kuppet official said parents and guardians should be given various payment options, including mobile money, cash deposits at designated locations, and online payments for those with access.

"Not everyone, especially older parents or those from marginalized communities, is comfortable with digital transactions. The government needs to address the digital literacy gap before implementing such a sweeping mandate," he said.

"Concerted efforts are needed to bridge the digital divide by expanding internet access and promoting digital literacy, especially in rural areas," he added.

Wafula urged the government to invest in training teachers and school administrators on how to use the e-Citizen platform.