The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has interdicted Nakuru High School Principal, Mike Yator for ‘violating a direct order against fee increment’.
The Principal was interdicted on Wednesday, the 1st of September after flouting the Ministry of Education’s directive on school fees.
The Ministry of Education under the Cabinet Secretary for Education Prof George Magoha issued a directive for reduction of school fees following complaints from parents amid the economic recession that COVID-19 caused.
The principal is accused of flouting the Basic Education Act Section 29 in the period between 2020 and 2021 by charging illegal levies.
Mr Yator has been directed via the interdiction letter to officially write a defence to the commission within 21 days and state where he will be reporting every month until the issue is solved.
Besides, the principal has been instructed to present evidence in his defence and should also vacate office with immediate effect.
The Cabinet Secretary for Education Prof Magoha directed all national schools to reduce school fees by Sh. 8,500 while county schools were to slash theirs by Sh. 5,500.
This meant that county schools are to pay fees of around Sh. 39,554 while national schools shall pay up to Sh. 45,054.
Schools were also instructed not to charge anything other than for meals which are to be done voluntarily depending on the financial ability of the parent.
Besides, the CS instructed that up to 75 per cent of day schools remain free. This is because they are funded fully by the government.
According to CS Magoha, the changes have been made with the adjusted school calendar in mind.
Teachers were implored to find out the reason why some parents may delay or fail to pay school fees instead of resorting to sending them home for school fees as this may lead to wastage of precious time in the already shortened term dates.
The CS had also warned school heads against increasing school fees and warned of dire consequences if they flout the guideline.
TSC and the Ministry have since investigated a number of schools over the issue of hiking school fees and now the principal of Nakuru High School has fallen victim after flouting the Ministry of Education’s fees directive.