The Ministry of Education has released new guidelines that show the school fees structure for all secondary schools under the government’s Free Day Secondary Education (FDSE) programme.
The new guidelines vividly show the amount of school fees to be paid by parents in National Schools, Extra County Schools, County, Sub-county and special schools.
According to the guidelines students in all national schools and Extra County schools located in major towns, the maximum fees has been set at Sh75,798 per year. Of this, the government through its FDSE programme will foot Sh22,244. The remaining balance will be shouldered by the parent or guardian.
The amount is split into various vote heads. Of all the vote heads, Boarding Equipment & Stores has been awarded the elephant share of sh30,385. Strengthening of Mathematics and Science in Secondary Education (SMASSE) has the least allocation of sh200.
Boarding school’s fees structure- category A
Schools classified as Category A are:
- All National schools and
- Extra county schools that are located in the following towns: Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Kisumu, Nyeri, Thika and Eldoret ONLY.
Boarding school’s fees structure- category A
| S/NO. | VOTE HEAD | G.O.K | PARENT | TOTAL |
| 1 | Teaching, Learning Materials & Exams | 4,144.00 | 0 | 4,144.00 |
| 2 | Boarding Equipment & Stores | 0.00 | 24,935.00 | 24,935.00 |
| 3 | Maintenance & Improvement | 5,000.00 | 2,000.00 | 7,000.00 |
| 4 | Other Vote Heads | 9,400.00 | 17,267.00 | 26,667.00 |
| 5 | Activity Fees | 1,500.00 | 798.00 | 2,298.00 |
| 6 | Medical & Insurance | 2,000.00 | 0.00 | 2,000.00 |
| 7 | SMASSE | 200.00 | 0.00 | 200.00 |
| 8 | Total School Fees | 22,244.00 | 45,000.00 | 67,244.00 |
It is important to note that Other vote heads include Local travel and transport, Administration. Electricity, Personnel emolument.
Boarding Schools (Category B)
Schools classified as Category B are other boarding schools including extra county schools that are located in other areas other than the town of Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Kisumu, Nyeri, Thika and Eldoret.
Boarding school’s fees structure- category B
| S/NO. | VOTE HEAD | G.O.K | PARENT | TOTAL |
| 1 | Teachiing, Learning Materials & Exams | 4,144.00 | 0 | 4,144.00 |
| 2 | Boarding Equipment & Stores | 0.00 | 20,830.00 | 20,830.00 |
| 3 | Maintenance & Improvement | 5,000.00 | 2,000.00 | 7,000.00 |
| 4 | Other Vote Heads | 9,400.00 | 11,670.00 | 21,070.00 |
| 5 | Activity Fees | 1,500.00 | 500.00 | 2,000.00 |
| 6 | Medical & Insurance | 2,000.00 | 0.00 | 2,000.00 |
| 7 | SMASSE | 200.00 | 0.00 | 200.00 |
| 8 | Total School Fees | 22,244.00 | 35,000.00 | 57,244.00 |
Fees Structure for Special Needs Schools 2022
Schools classified as Special needs are those schools that cater for learners with impairment e.g. visual, physical, hearing and mental. GOK has enhanced capitation to KES. 53,807.00 distributed in the fees structure shown in Table below;
2024 Fees Structure for Special Needs Schools
| S/NO. | VOTE HEAD | G.O.K | PARENT | TOTAL |
| 1 | Teaching, Learning Materials & Exams | 4,144.00 | 0 | 4,144.00 |
| 2 | Boarding Equipment & Stores | 19,053.00 | 8,860.00 | 27,913.00 |
| 3 | Maintenance & Improvement | 5,000.00 | 2,000.00 | 7,000.00 |
| 4 | Other Vote Heads | 9,400.00 | 0.00 | 9,400.00 |
| 5 | Activity Fees | 1,500.00 | 0.00 | 1,500.00 |
| 6 | Medical & Insurance | 2,000.00 | 0.00 | 2,000.00 |
| 7 | Top Up | 12,510.00 | 0.00 | 12,510.00 |
| 8 | SMASSE | 200.00 | 0.00 | 200.00 |
| 9 | Total School Fees | 53,807.00 | 10,860.00 | 67.167.00 |