Fees, uniform burden for parents as packed school calendar starts

Prices of school uniforms and text books have risen by nearly 30 per cent, piling the burden on parents who must clear tuition arrears and pay fees for an extra term next year.

Parents have also lamented increased transport costs as well as additional levies like motivation that will further squeeze their budgets for the special academic calendar that has four — instead of three — annual school terms in 2021 and 2022.

Schools are requiring parents to first clear fees arrears and then settle fees for the new term that begins on January 4.

At Vihiga’s Kaimosi Boys, for instance, a message sent to parents indicates that no student will be admitted without clearing first term fees and the Sh8,000 for second term.

"Your son is asked to report to school on Monday 04/01/2021 between noon and 4pm. You are reminded to clear fee arrears and pay Term Two fee of Sh8,000. No student will be allowed in without term two fees," the message seen by the Nation reads.

On Monday, retail outlets across the country were crowded with shoppers buying school items ahead of next week’s reopening of learning institutions, which have been shut since March due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

A spot check by the Nation in several bookshops and uniform outlets revealed parents are paying more for the items, with the sellers blaming the price increment on high supply cost and steep demand.

Shops that deal with school items that have been out of business since March are cashing in on the reopening to recover losses.

In Migori, a set of uniform was retailing at Sh4, 500 up from Sh3, 500 when schools closed in March.

Mr Hevrone Maira, the proprietor of Tagache Uniforms in Awendo town, said the hike in prices was occasioned by high demand. “There is a general price increase but majority of our clients who make bulk orders are given a discount,” Mr Maira noted.

In Kisumu, the price of a pair of trousers has increased from Sh600 to Sh800 depending on quality. The same prices apply for skirts.

Mr Felix Ochieng, a worker at Roche Garments in Kisumu, also cited increased demand for the price hike.

There were also complaints that schools were charging extra fees for items like motivation and tours.

Parents with children at St Peter’s Primary School in Mumias, Kakamega County, complained about Sh1, 500 motivation fee and Sh7, 000 for tours.

Eight school terms

This will stretch parents who have to pay fees over eight school terms in the next two years when learners undertake a crash programme designed to recover the 2020 academic year that was lost to the Covid-19 shutdown.

Some of the outlets that had been put out of business by Covid-19 were also cashing in on the back to school frenzy.

Mr Peter Guya, the proprietor of Jao Garments, a supplier of school uniforms in Nyanza and Western region, said they had been out of business for the last nine months.

“We had diverted our business into interior design because there was no market for school supplies,” said Mr Guya.

Mr Peter Odero, a bookseller in Migori town, said the sales have been affected by roadside vendors.

“We are already counting losses as text books and other stationeries are cheaply available on the streets,” he said.

Bookshop operators and uniform outlets opened early in anticipation of brisk business.

"We expect to make good sales ahead of reopening of schools after almost a year of losses we have incurred," said Mr Gilbert Rono, who operates a stationery retail outlet in Bomet town.

In Nakuru main shops such as Ereto bookshop, Shah’s outfitters and Nakuru wool centre were filled up with shoppers with the dealers struggling to observe the Covid-19 social distancing rules.

Popular school uniform distributors along Kenyatta Avenue were also brimming with parents who trickled in with their children to pick various items.

In Nyandarua however, there were shorter queues in retail outlets that recorded low business in Ol Kalou, Engineer, and Miharati towns.

Meanwhile, many parents have been thrown into confusion over next year’s fees following the change in the school calendar announced by the government.

Those who spoke to the Nation said they were not sure whether they should pay next year’s fees in full or this year’s arrears.

While school heads maintained they had stuck to the fee structures released by the government, parents complained about schools introducing extra levies.

Report by: Phyllis Musasia, Waikwa Maina, Ian Byron, Vitalis Kimutai, Shaban Makokha, Elizabeth Ojina, Benson Ayienda and Derick Luvega