The Cabinet and President William Ruto have issued fresh orders to ensure that every public institution in the country complies to the eCitizen fees payment.
In a Cabinet dispatch issued on Wednesday, it was noted that the digitisation programme to eCitizen fees payment would eliminate various issues bedevilling the education sector including running of parallel school accounts and overcharging of fees.
“In keeping with the Administration’s digital transformation agenda, Cabinet sanctioned the digitization of the entire education system, spanning from basic education to tertiary and university levels.”
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According to the government, the move aims to reduce unauthorised charges by Principals and other challenges that are facing the Education sector.
“This intervention aims to address the governance challenges within our education system that has led to parallel accounts, charging of unauthorised school fees, diversion of the exchequer releases on capitation and other fraudulent activities that undermine the integrity of the education system, leading to the enrollment of ghost students.”
Initially, only national schools were aimed by the eCitizen plan. In the directive that was issued early in the month, Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang noted that parents would begin making payments through the eCitizen platform.
However, the directive was challenged in court with the High Court in Nairobi temporarily halting the process with Justice Chacha Mwita extending the orders till April 17 2024 when the matter will be heard and determined.
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However, the latest move after the Cabinet meeting directs all schools to comply with eCitizen fees payment directive to ensure streamline of services by placing all government services under one platform.
Complaints of parents lamenting over the digitisation plan given that some of them often pay their fees with delivery of items such as maize, and firewood among others to the school has fallen on deaf ears.