The Mombasa County Government has announced reforms to its bursary programme following a new agreement with the National Government and public school authorities.
In a statement on Saturday, February 7, Governor Abdulswamad Sheriff Nassir said the county has restructured its bursary framework to include a school feeding component for all public day secondary schools.
"The County Government of Mombasa has taken a major step toward making secondary education more affordable by restructuring its bursary programme to incorporate a school feeding component for all public day secondary schools.
"This intervention effectively reduces school fees by approximately Ksh12,000 per learner and directly addresses one of the biggest cost drivers facing families," he said.
Abdulswamad noted that the programme is set to roll out immediately, with the delivery of food supplies scheduled to begin mid-February.
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"With the first delivery of foodstuffs scheduled to begin on Monday, 16th February, this programme will immediately ease the financial burden on parents, improve learner retention, and support better concentration and learning outcomes in schools across the county," he added.
Abdulswamad further explained that the county’s initiative is being implemented alongside existing support from the National Government, through the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF).
"When combined with additional support provided through the NG-CDF by Members of Parliament, parents in Mombasa can now reasonably expect to pay between Ksh1,000 and Ksh2,000 per term.
"This coordinated approach between the County Government and the National Government represents a practical and sustainable pathway toward keeping more children in school," he further said.
According to Abdulswamad, the reforms were concluded through a formal agreement between the county and all schools leadership.
"The reforms were formally sealed during the signing of a historic agreement between the County Government of Mombasa and the Boards of Management of all public day secondary schools at the R. G. Ngala Grounds," the statement concluded.
This comes at a time when confusion continues to surround the fee structure for day secondary school learners, with schools set to reopen in the coming days.
In early January, Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro raised concerns over government guidelines issued to principals in November, which he claims direct schools to incorporate an additional Ksh9,374 into their fee structures, effectively transferring the burden to parents.
According to Nyoro, the guidelines cite an old Gazette Notice that reduces government capitation from Ksh22,244 to Ksh12,000, leaving parents to cover the difference.
"It is alarming to see that the government unashamedly directs principals of day secondary schools that capitation from January will be Ksh12,000 from the Ksh22,244 that has been there before and directing that parents will now shoulder the burden of Ksh9,374," the MP stated.
However, Cabinet Secretary for Education Julius Ogamba has rejected the claims, insisting that the fee structure remains unchanged and will continue to be based on the 2019 circular.
Ogamba maintained that the government will continue supporting Free Day Senior School learners with Ksh22,244 per learner annually, with no authorization for schools to impose additional fees.
The Ministry of Education reiterated in an official statement that boarding schools in major urban centers charge up to Ksh53,554, while other boarding schools charge up to Ksh40,535.
Special Needs Schools charge Ksh12,790, with all these amounts remaining unchanged.
