Learners in public day secondary schools across Kiharu Constituency are set to enjoy major financial relief after area Member of Parliament Ndindi Nyoro announced a reduction in school fees under the Kiharu Masomo Bora programme.
Under the revised arrangement, an estimated 12,000 students in day secondary schools will now pay Sh500 per term, down from Sh1,000 that has been charged since the programme was introduced three years ago. The initiative is sponsored by the local National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) in partnership with various organisations.
Nyoro said the move is aimed at easing the financial burden on parents while improving the quality of education, noting that many families continue to struggle with the rising cost of living.
Speaking during the launch of this year’s Masomo Bora programme at Maragi Primary School in Kiharu on Tuesday, the MP said the new fee structure will benefit more than 12,000 learners enrolled in 65 public day secondary schools across the constituency. The beneficiaries include learners in Grade 10, Form Three and Form Four.
“This programme is about giving every child a fair chance to learn, regardless of their family background,” Nyoro declared. “Reducing fees from Sh.1,000 to Sh.500 per term will make a big difference for parents who are juggling many responsibilities.”
Nyoro explained that the Masomo Bora programme targets improved academic performance and better learning conditions in day secondary schools, which often lag behind boarding institutions due to limited resources.
He said the initiative was designed to bridge this gap by addressing key challenges such as school feeding, provision of learning materials and improvement of physical infrastructure.
“As part of the programme, learners in day schools will continue to receive free lunches from Monday to Saturday. In addition, students will enjoy chapatti every last Friday of the month,” Nyoro said.
According to the MP, the feeding programme has played a critical role in improving school attendance, learner concentration and overall academic performance.
“A hungry child cannot concentrate in class. By ensuring learners get meals throughout the week, we are supporting both their health and their education,” he said.
To further strengthen the learning environment, Nyoro announced that the local NG-CDF has allocated Sh50 million for infrastructure development in day secondary schools across the constituency.
He said the funds will be used to construct and upgrade essential facilities, including classrooms, laboratories and libraries, which are critical for quality education, particularly under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system.
“An additional Sh50 million has been set aside specifically for the construction of laboratories and libraries, facilities that are vital for science learning and research,” Nyoro noted.
He added that another Sh10 million will be used to purchase revision books to ensure learners have adequate learning materials as they prepare for national examinations.
At the same time, the MP cautioned school administrators and teachers against imposing extra or hidden charges on parents, warning that such practices undermine the spirit of the programme.
He specifically warned against excessive remedial fees, directing that any learner paying for remedial lessons should not be charged more than Sh1,000.
“Education should not become a hidden cost through unofficial charges,” Nyoro said. “We want transparency and fairness so that parents know exactly what they are paying for.”
In a bid to motivate education stakeholders, Nyoro said the Masomo Bora programme will continue to reward excellence and improvement in school performance.
Under the incentive scheme, principals of the most improved schools will be treated to motivational trips to Dubai, while teachers from the best-performing schools will benefit from similar trips to Mombasa.
“These incentives are meant to appreciate hard work and encourage innovation in teaching and school management,” he said.
Looking beyond Kiharu, Nyoro also weighed in on the national conversation around education financing, saying Kenya has the potential to offer free basic education from primary school to senior school if resources are properly coordinated.
According to the MP, only Sh30 billion would be required annually to facilitate free education, with the national government, county governments and NG-CDF each contributing Sh10 billion towards the fund.
“This is not about politicising education. It is about asking ourselves whether we can reduce the burden on parents and invest more in our children’s future,” he observed.
Nyoro further noted that funds recently released by the government as capitation will first be used to clear debts accumulated last year before supporting ongoing school programmes.
By Bernard Munyao and Purity Mugo
