Ruto’s Cabinet Approves eCitizen Platform for Fee Payments in All Schools
The Cabinet has given approval for the digitization of the entire education system across the country, aiming to streamline services.
This move, detailed in a Cabinet dispatch released on Wednesday, is intended to address various issues plaguing the education sector, such as the operation of parallel school accounts and excessive fee charges. Additionally, the digitization initiative aims to tackle the enrollment of ghost students.
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According to the dispatch, this decision aligns with the Administration’s agenda for digital transformation. It encompasses all levels of education, from basic to tertiary and university education.
The objective is to confront governance challenges within the education system, including unauthorized fee charges, misallocation of funds meant for education, and other fraudulent activities compromising the system’s integrity.
Initially, the eCitizen plan targeted national schools. Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang issued a directive earlier this month, stating that parents would make payments through the eCitizen platform. However, this directive faced legal opposition, leading to a temporary halt by the High Court in Nairobi.
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In the ongoing court proceedings, Justice Chacha Mwita extended the orders until April 17th, pending further deliberation on the matter.
Notably, some parents expressed concerns about the digitization plan, as they often contribute fees through alternative means, such as providing agricultural produce or firewood.
Teachers also raised questions about accessing funds through the eCitizen platform. Akelo Misori, the secretary general of the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), highlighted the challenges faced by parents who rely on casual jobs at schools to pay fees for their children, questioning how they would adapt to the new digital system.
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Ruto’s Cabinet Approves eCitizen Platform for Fee Payments in All Schools
