Private Schools Want a Slice of Free Primary Education Funds

The government has been urged to extend free primary and secondary education to private schools. The Kenya Private Schools Association chairman John Kabui said the funds would be channeled to buying books, stationery and laboratory equipment."We are all Kenyans and we all know the economic constraints we are undergoing. Parents in private schools would appreciate the government's support through Free Primary Education. "Money set aside for free education including Sh1,300 for primary schools children and Sh10,625 for their secondary counterparts should be extended to children in private schools," said Kabui. He was speaking during KPSA's 14th annual general meeting at a Mombasa hotel.

The government is also looking into possibilities of introducing subsidies to non-public schools serving arid areas such as Mandera and Wajir. Planning minister Wycliffe Oparanya also noted that the government would consider matching grant schemes to non-public schools serving marginalised areas as well as issuing low interest loans to establish schools.

Another possibility, Oparanya said, is government sponsorship to private schools where places available in public institutions are insufficient to meet the demand and free tuition for deserving children in private schools.