NYERI, Kenya Jan 6 – As schools reopen for the 2026 academic year, parents in Nyeri are raising concerns about the escalating costs of education.
Speaking to KNA, several parents expressed how this year’s back-to-school season has been particularly challenging due to the high cost of living and reduced household incomes.
Margaret Wairimu, a hawker at the Nyeri Main Stage and mother of three children transitioning to Form 4, Grade 10, and Grade 1, shared her struggles.
She said that managing the financial demands of her children’s education has become overwhelming, especially amid the current economic difficulties.
“I am expected to pay rent, school fees, and still put food on the table. The situation is even worse because business was slow in December, so we didn’t earn as much as we had hoped. As it stands, I am still figuring out how to raise school fees for my three children, who are at critical points in their academic journey,” Wairimu told KNA.
Her concerns were echoed by Fridah Mukethi, another parent, who highlighted the soaring costs of books and school uniforms as a major burden for many families.
Mukethi, whose daughter is set to join Grade 7 this year, suggested that students from Grade 1 to Grade 9 should be allowed to use the same uniform until they reach Grade 10.
“If possible, students should be allowed to continue using their old uniforms since they remain in the same school. This would help relieve parents of the financial strain of buying new uniforms, which is both costly and unnecessary,” she said.
Parents are now urging the government to ensure timely disbursement of school capitation funds to alleviate their financial pressures.
Additionally, they are calling for the consolidation of all education-related financial resources, including scholarships and bursaries, into a single fund to ensure transparency and equitable distribution.
“We have numerous bursaries available, such as those from the governor, ward representatives, and Members of Parliament, but sometimes these are not issued transparently, leaving many needy students without support. If these resources were consolidated and allocated fairly as capitation, parents would experience some relief, and students would not be sent home due to unpaid school fees,” said Nderi Mukundi, a concerned parent.
Mukundi also appealed to the government to make basic education completely free and to increase funding for higher education.
“If the government truly wants to transform this country, it needs to make education more affordable. We should return to free basic education, and even universities should be free,” he added.
