The move by the Council of Ministers on Wednesday to approve the payment of fees in all educational institutions through the e-Citizen network, has increased the divisions that have existed in the country regarding the proposal.
The action followed the meeting of the council, chaired by President William Ruto at the State House in Nairobi. This happened just one day, after the Supreme Court extended the order that prevents the government from forcing schools and other educational institutions to adopt the system in the payment of fees and other fees.
Stakeholders in the education sector have expressed their concern about the adoption of the system regarding the payment of fees. Despite the government’s insistence that the network is safe, some stakeholders have come forward and expressed their fear that it may start experiencing problems, such as delays in funds that should reach different institutions.
Some of the stakeholders who have come forward to express their fears are the Secretary General of the Association of Secondary and High School Teachers (Kuppet) Akelo Misori, who said that the association will lead high school head teachers to oppose the government order.
“We have received many complaints from head teachers that they have not yet been given sufficient information about what they will be receiving from the money paid as fees. Will the money be going to the ministry and later the government will use it? After what time will they be using the money? Is there a rate that will be deducted from the fee? Those are just some of the questions that we would like the ministry to explain to us,” said Misori.
According to Mr Christopher Mutai, whose son is a student in one of the national high schools in the country, the system will cause many problems for parents who have been agreeing with the head teachers about the method and procedure they will consider in the payment of the tuition.
“There are parents who have been experiencing many problems in paying taxes. Some of them have been paying taxes by delivering products like corn, beans or even rice. That is always a plan that is agreed with the principals of the respective schools. The system will affect them a lot,” said Mr Mutai.
Mr Martin Ndirangu, who is an expert and administrator of the IFMISS system in one of the counties in the country, said that the government must ensure that the funds paid to certain institutions through the e-Citizen network reach them at the right time.
“There are many mechanical challenges that have been emerging in the online payment system. That has been contributing to the delay in money being sent to different counties through the IFMIS system,” said Mr Ndirangu.
However, the government has strongly defended the system, saying it will ensure transparency and accountability regarding the money paid for its services. According to the former Secretary General of the National Association of Teachers (Knut) Wilson Sossion, the system is the only way the government can ensure transparency in the use of money paid for its services.
“On the payment of school fees, this is a very good way, as it will ensure that there is accountability in the use of the money paid to the respective schools,” said Mr Sossion. Immigration Department Secretary Julius Bitok maintains that the government has put in place adequate strategies to avoid any mechanical challenges that may arise.
