Parents Decry High Form One Admission Costs

Parents Decry High Form One Admission Costs Form One admissions are currently underway across the country, beginning today and lasting until May 10.Parents took their children to school as early as 7 a.m. on Wednesday to avoid the long lines and exhausting admissions process.They are, however, criticizing the high costs of school fees, uniforms, and exorbitant requirements imposed by some schools.Some schools require parents to purchase items from specific retailers, making it difficult for those who cannot afford to do so.The Standard conducted a spot check across the country and discovered parents complaining about the high admission costs.Kennedy Kimani, a parent in Embu County, told KTN News that the cost of back-to-school shoes, for example, has risen.“The cost of living has gone up. I feel for farmers who are also parents considering the cost of fertilizer has also gone up,” Kimani said.Kakamega High School Principal George Orina admitted that resources for students will never be sufficient.He advised parents who were unable to pay the full school fee to contact their respective school heads, adding, “Every child deserves to be in school."Dickson, the Director of Education in Kakamega, advised parents who cannot afford boarding schools to enroll their children in day schools.Parents and students spent the majority of the long weekend shopping for school uniforms, books, and stationery in major cities.The Standard also learned that parents spend up to Sh10,000 on uniforms alone. A textbook now costs between Sh600 and Sh700, a dictionary costs Sh1,624 and a Kamusi costs Sh1,045. An exercise book costs approximately Sh76.In accordance with the government’s implementation of the 100% transition, all candidates who took the 2021 KCPE have been placed in the country’s 9,200 public schools.The Ministry of Education placed 38,797 students in national schools, 214,960 in extra-county schools, 218 in county schools, 2,045 in special needs education, 726, 311 in sub-county schools, and 9,128 in camps.Parents Decry High Form One Admission Costs

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