Parents of Form Four students at Moi Forces Academy Lanet are raising concerns over what they describe as unexplained additional fees imposed on candidates who are now preparing to sit their KCSE examinations, with one parent questioning why families are being asked to pay an extra KSh10,000 on top of the KSh21,700 expected for the current term.
The parent, who has asked Nyakundi Report to conceal their identity for fear that their daughter could be victimised, says the concerns over fees have been building since last year when the students were still in Form Three.
According to the parent, the school did not provide parents with a formal fee structure and instead advised them on a fixed amount to pay at the beginning of the first term, with further payments communicated as students returned for subsequent terms.
The parent says that throughout the period, families have continued paying additional amounts beyond what they understood to be the expected school fees, but the latest demand has caused particular concern because it comes when the students are about to sit their national examinations and many families are already struggling financially.
Hello Nyakundi! Kindly hide my identity. I want you to share some concerns about one Moi Forces Academy Lanet. Am a parent and my daughter is in Form Four. Since the beginning of last year when the students were in Form 3, there was no fee structure shared but we were advised on a static figure for the first term and the subsequent terms as the school was opening. All along we have been paying extra amounts of money and this particular term when the students are about to sit their KCSE, we are slammed with an extra 10k on top of KSh21,700 which is supposed to be this term's fee.”
The parent says the additional KSh10,000 has been raised with the school, but says that efforts to obtain an explanation have not yielded an answer. The concern is particularly sensitive because the students are now in their final year and parents fear that openly challenging the administration could have consequences for their daughters.
According to the complaint, some parents are also worried because the school is threatening to send students home over fee balances this week, leaving families caught between the demand for additional payments and the pressure to keep their children in school as they prepare for KCSE.
We have raised concerns on the same but nobody is willing to respond to our concerns. Times are hard and parents are struggling yet the school is even threatening to send away students for school fees this week.
The parent says the issue has created anxiety among families who want to understand exactly what they are being asked to pay and why additional amounts continue to arise without what they consider to be a clear fee structure being provided.
The concern also touches on the position of Form Four candidates who are preparing for a national examination. Parents are questioning whether students should be placed under additional financial pressure at such a crucial stage of their education, particularly where the charges have not been adequately explained to them.
The complainant says parents have discussed the issue in various WhatsApp groups but fears that those who openly question the charges could expose their children to retaliation.
How can this reach the relevant authorities because we are fearing our daughters might be victimized when we openly raise the issue in the various WhatsApp groups. Documentary evidence can be availed on request.
The parent says documentary evidence supporting the complaint can be provided, including records relating to the payments and communication around the fees.
The complaint now raises several questions for the school administration and the relevant education authorities.
What is the approved fee structure for Form Four students at Moi Forces Academy Lanet for the current term?
What exactly is the KSh10,000 additional charge meant to cover, and was it approved through the required school structures?
Why have parents been required to make additional payments throughout the students' Form Three and Form Four years without receiving a clear fee structure?