Schools now turn to NGOs to cope with the high cost of living

By Joe Kiarie, Job Weru and Ben Ahenda

Just a week after schools re-opened for the first term, the institutions’ administrators have now found themselves in a dilemma as they seek ways to cushion themselves from the stinging inflation rate.

While increasing school fees has been the most ideal option in most schools, the formula has

Asumbi Girls Principal Sister Anne Apiyo shows some of the dairy cows at the school.[PHOTOS: STANDARD]

proved futile in some institutions where parents are either unwilling or even unable to clear outstanding fees arrears.

Other schools have opted for cost-effective measures such as cutting on overall expenditure, adopting agriculture to facilitate food production or even hiring out school buses in a resolute bid to fetch extra income.

All this is unfolding amid calls by parents for the suspension of all key school development projects countrywide until the high inflation rate is reversed.

According to the Kenya National Association of Parents Secretary General Musau Ndunda, the Government should immediately authorise projects such as the purchasing of school buses and the construction of new administration blocks be put on hold until the economy stabilises.

Capital projects

"These capital projects are costing parents millions of shillings yet some are unnecessary and not a priority at all. It is ironical that some of them are accounting for up to 40 per cent of the total school fees," he says.

Ndunda says inflation has posed a serious challenge to parents and school administrators should thus embrace austerity and use existing facilities until commodity prices come down.

"It is totally upon the Government to make such considerations and enforce sanctions that will halt all these financially demanding projects," he says. Ndunda is also urging schools to allow cost cutting measures when it comes to the acquisition of textbooks and school uniforms.

"For instance, they should allow parents to buy second hand uniforms for students and not insist on the school offering the uniforms themselves. Currently, the schools are providing girls’ skirts at an average of Sh1,350 while the same can be obtained at Sh200 elsewhere. The difference is too high," he notes.

The association is also suggesting students in day schools be allowed to carry packed lunch as an alternative to school feeding programmes.

A cross-section of principals and head teachers interviewed by The Standard On Saturday admitted with the schools not having alternative sources of income, the cost of operations is likely to outdo the income. Institutions with alternative income sources are now putting them to use, with some having resorted to farming as a way to complement rising cost of food for students.

At Kanyama Secondary School in Mathira, Nyeri County, Principal Christopher Mugambi says the institution has already expanded its farm that has a dairy, horticulture and general farm projects to cut on food cost.

"We are facing very difficult times since we are limited on increasing fees for students. Parents are also hard-hit and some are unable to clear fees arrears in time," notes Mugambi, whose school has a population of 360 students.

He says the school management has come up with a three-pronged solution, which includes increasing farm production, increasing fees by at least Sh1,000 for every parent and also approaching charitable organisations and children foundations to help sponsor children from extremely poor backgrounds.

Cut operation cost

"I have already approached three organisations, which have now agreed to sponsor four needy students in my school," he says.

At Kalalu Secondary School in Laikipia East District, Principal Joseph Gachagua says the administration has equally started a school farm where students cultivate to produce their own food.

"The cost of running the institutions is unbearable and the only option is to cut operation cost. We decided to start the farm so as to complement the cost of buying food, which is now very high," he states, noting that a school bus, which the school purchased last year is also being offered for hire to cater for its insurance and maintenance.

Gachagua notes that it is also almost impossible to hike fees at this moment since some parents are unable to even clear outstanding balances.

At Nakuru High School, in Nakuru County, Principal John Kirui said they had last November factored in a strong budget that would accommodate prices of all essential commodities based on the current retail prices for this term.

"But unless the prices of the essential commodities go down, we might soon be forced to adjust the fee structure to accommodate any of these increases that could affect our work," he asserts. Nakuru High School, which is a national school, charges Sh54,000 per annum in school fees for every student.

In the same county, Jomo Kenyatta High School Principal John Mureithi said they would be affected by the economic constraints and will have no option but to cut down on spending.

"We will be forced to just do with the primary requirements if we are to conquer the high cost of living. These include crucial meals or diets or even important trips in the course of study," he said.

However, Mureithi said he would first consult all stakeholders at the institution’s Annual General Meeting before making a decision.

"If the parents agree we increase fees to make our operation easier, then we would abide. But if they refuse, we would be forced to do with what we have and minimise costs," he said.

Ms Jane Wachira, a Parent Teachers’ Association member at Nyeri Primary said the school had increased fees for both day scholars and boarders to enhance free flow of operations. "But the decision has been condemned by parents, who are lamenting that the increment is too high," said Wachira.

"Parents have also been asked to purchase some text books for their children since the funds released to schools by the Government are not sufficient due to increased costs of various consumer products," she affirmed.

Nyeri Primary School, which is one of the best performing public primary schools in Nyeri County, recently increased fees for day scholars from last year’s Sh6,000 to Sh7,500. Boarders who paid Sh11,500 last year are now coughing Sh15,000 per term.