Machogu defends school fees payment on e-Citizen, says it will boost accountability
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu delivers a speech during the KCB Scholars Programme 2024 Form One Commissioning at KCB Karen Leadership Centre on January 17, 2024, in Nairobi.
What you need to know:
- Machogu moves to allay fears of delayed release of funds to respective schools.
- Some people say they collected this amount of money but when you check keenly, there are variances
- He revealed that in the second term, extra-county and county schools will also be required to provide the information in preparation for the migration.
The collection of school fees through the e-Citizen platform is meant to enhance accountability and transparency, Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has said.
Once the money has been received on the platform, it will be recorded and then immediately transferred to the school’s account, the CS said.
The new measure, announced on Friday by the ministry, will start with national schools. The schools have been asked to submit their bank details to the ministry to facilitate the change.
“It’s a straightforward transaction. We’ll be able to easily track the money and make it easier to audit. Some people say they collected this amount of money but when you check keenly, there are variances. The money will get to the school accounts without any delay because we have advanced technology,” Mr Machogu said.
He revealed that in the second term, extra-county and county schools will also be required to provide the information in preparation for the migration.
Yesterday, Immigration and Citizen Services Principal Secretary Julius Bitok also explained the purpose of the change.
“The objective of this directive is to harmonise the collection of school fees, enhance the coordination of the process and promote accountability and transparency. It will also entrench an effective monitoring system in compliance with the relevant policies and regulations governing levying and payment of fees in public secondary schools,” he said.
Prof Bitok explained that the Directorate of e-Citizen has set up a convenient and transparent payment process to ensure school principals “access the funds received for their schools promptly and in full”.
The announcement of the change has drawn mixed reactions from Kenyans.
Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, speaking yesterday at a rally in Kajiado County, said the change was an unnecessary burden to parents and students.
“When you ask parents to pay school fees through e-Citizen, how will a parent living in a rural set-up manage to do so?” he asked.
He also criticised the President for engaging in “early campaigns”.
“I am wondering why those who are in power have kicked off early campaigns. We can see them on top of vehicles crisscrossing the country instead of taking time and fulfilling promises they made ahead of the August 2022 elections,” he said.
The former Vice President also said that it was important for President William Ruto to respect the constitution and the Judiciary. He said the President’s insistence on the housing levy and deploying of police officers to Haiti despite courts stopping them was wrong.
“We are either a country under the rule of law or under the rule of the jungle. Kenyans have decided to call a spade a spade. We have a lot to do correctly,” he said.
He also called for a united opposition with multiple political parties that are strong, saying it is the only way to keep the current government in check.
Mr Musyoka said that the Wiper party will be holding a series of rallies across the country to popularise it.
“We will go to various places in this country, Kajiado, Machakos, Taita Taveta, Kitui, Makueni western and Nyanza at large,” he said.
