Wilson Sossion, the former Secretary General of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), has praised the education ministry’s initiative to have parents pay school fees through the e-Citizen platform.
Belio Kipsang, the Education Principal Secretary, mandated the move as part of the government’s broader effort to streamline all services through e-Citizen for improved service delivery.
During an interview on Citizen TV, Sossion expressed optimism that using the e-Citizen platform would bring transparency and safeguard the interests of both students and parents.
He emphasized that this streamlined approach could eliminate any unauthorized additional charges imposed by certain institutions, making transactions more straightforward for parents.
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Sossion stated, “Parents can easily conduct transactions through M-Pesa from anywhere. It’s a simple and convenient process where you can log in the student’s name and admission number for fee payments.”
Despite acknowledging the mandatory nature of the payment, Sossion called for the government to provide a clear explanation of how the system would function seamlessly.
However, Robert Mbui, the Member of Parliament for Kathiani, expressed reservations about the move, suggesting it lacked thorough consideration.
He highlighted potential challenges for school heads and parents that could disrupt educational processes.
Mbui questioned, “How will the school manage finances for procurement or payments? While the idea may be noble, Kenya needs to take time to address these concerns and engage with the public.”
Narok Senator Ledama Olekina echoed similar sentiments, stating that Kenya might not be ready for such a digital shift, emphasizing that some citizens are unfamiliar with the functioning of digital platforms.
Olekina raised concerns about explaining the e-Citizen platform to parents in remote areas where traditional banking systems are scarce.
He emphasized the need to be realistic about Kenya’s readiness for such advancements, cautioning against pretending to be a first-world country.
All national school principals have been instructed to share their school bank account details with the Director General of the State Department by Tuesday, February 6, 2024.
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