Kuppet joins school principals in pushing for 60pc fees increase

Daisy Centre and School Bukura Computer Science Facilitator Harrison Michael Shikuku, engages students in a hands-on robotics session on March 4, 2026. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

A teachers’ union has vowed to push for a new school fees structure to reflect current cost of running schools.

The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) on Thursday supported the demand by the Kenya Senior Schools Heads Association (Kessha) to have school fees increased by about 60 per cent to cater for the current cost of living, including food.

In a presentation during the ongoing Kessha conference in Mombasa being attended by more than 7,000 principals, Kuppet secretary general Akelo Misori said for many years, the union had decried the anomaly of maintaining the fees at the level set in 2015 and commended the school heads for bringing the issue forth.

“We are glad that Kessha has finally done the costing and recommended a rational structure. Kuppet fully supports the proposed structure and will fight for its adoption as a policy instrument,” he stated.

Kessha national chair Willie Mwangi had recommended that the government raise the school fees in national schools from Sh53,000 to Sh88,000 to cater for the high cost of living.

Misori also urged policymakers to listen to the school administrators on the clear parameters of what strong schools look like and the kind of leadership needed for Competency-Based Education (CBE).

On school unrest, Kuppet said the new Principal Secretary for Basic Education, John Ololtuaa, had articulated policy and moral imperatives, noting that the union expected a renewed commitment from him to ensure school communities are safe for learners, teachers and all stakeholders.

Misori called for a strong unified voice to enable proactive policy-making and improve the running of schools. “As professionals, we need a strong, unified voice to enable proactive policy-making. Kessha has vocalised that position in this conference, and we fully align ourselves with their vision,” he said.

Kenya Comprehensive School Heads Association (KECSHA) national chairman Mr Fuad Ali said institutional stability, learner discipline, psychosocial support systems and leadership resilience will enable the country to achieve strong schools for the future.

Ali said Kenya is firmly in the implementation phase of CBE, but the task lies in deepening, stabilising and future-proofing the system through strong institutional leadership, effective teacher professional development, integration of digital learning systems and strengthened learner pathway guidance at the senior school level. “Senior schools are now central in shaping pathways, careers and life trajectories of learners. This makes leadership at this level even more critical.”

He said as the architects of the school of the future, principals must translate curriculum reforms into meaningful school practice, strengthen academic and technical pathways with clarity, build strong learner mentorship systems and ensure that school culture reflects both excellence and discipline.