Ministry of Education Gazettes Standardised School Fees for 2026 Senior School Transition

The Ministry of Education has officially gazetted the new fee structure for public senior schools, providing a definitive financial roadmap for the transition of learners in January 2026. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba issued the directive through Gazette Notice No. 1449, under the Basic Education Act, aiming to standardise charges across the country and eliminate the proliferation of illegal levies that have historically burdened households.

Under the newly formalised framework, the government has moved to make secondary education more accessible by fully subsidising day senior schools. Parents with children in public day schools will not be required to pay any tuition or operational fees. Instead, the National Government will provide a capitation of Sh22,244 per learner annually. This state funding covers Sh4,144 for tuition, Sh1,500 for co-curricular activities, Sh2,000 for medical care and insurance, and Sh200 for the Strengthening of Mathematics and Science in Secondary Education (SMASSE) programme. The remaining Sh9,400 is allocated to administrative costs, water, electricity, and physical education, while Sh5,000 is earmarked for maintenance and improvement.

For boarding senior schools, the Ministry has maintained a ceiling based on previously approved institutional classifications. Schools formerly categorised as national schools, or those in the top-tier cluster, will have their parental fee contribution capped at Sh53,554 per year. When combined with the government capitation of Sh22,244, the total annual operating cost for these learners reaches Sh75,798. In this category, parents are primarily responsible for boarding equipment and stores, which account for Sh30,385, alongside Sh20,371 for administrative vote heads and Sh798 for activity fees.

Institutions in the second boarding cluster, which includes many former extra-county and county schools, will charge parents a maximum of Sh40,535 annually. With the standard government contribution factored in, the total annual cost per student in these schools is set at Sh62,779. The Ministry emphasized that even within these clusters, tuition remains fully funded by the state, and parents are only required to meet the direct costs of boarding and institutional maintenance.

The gazette notice also addresses the requirements for special needs senior schools. To account for the specialised resources and support staff necessary for learners with disabilities, the government has increased its capitation to Sh57,974 per student. Parents in these institutions will contribute Sh12,790 annually, bringing the total cost per learner to Sh70,764.

To manage the financial flow throughout the academic year, the Ministry directed that all fees must be collected in a ratio of 50:30:20 across the first, second, and third terms respectively. This structured approach is intended to provide schools with the necessary liquidity to maintain infrastructure and procure essential supplies at the start of the year while preventing sudden financial shocks to parents.

The 2026 transition marks a critical point for the Kenyan education sector as the first cohort of Grade 9 learners under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) moves into senior school. This shift involves the reclassification of schools into pathways such as Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Social Sciences, and Arts and Sports. The standardised fee structure is designed to support these pathways without inflating costs based on the chosen track.

Cabinet Secretary Ogamba warned school heads against the introduction of any unauthorised levies or increasing fees beyond the gazetted limits. The Ministry noted that any schools currently charging below the stipulated ceilings are encouraged to maintain their current rates, and any future variations would require explicit approval from the Cabinet Secretary. This regulatory oversight is part of a broader effort to ensure that the transition to the new education tier remains affordable and that infrastructure developments keep pace with the growing student population.