Kenya Makes Secondary Education Free for Day School Students While Capping Boarding Fees
Nairobi, 7 February 2026
Kenya’s government now covers the full cost of day secondary school education, meaning parents pay absolutely nothing for tuition. The groundbreaking policy change also caps boarding school fees at £334 annually, with government subsidies covering the majority of costs. Special needs students receive the most substantial support, with families paying just £80 while the state funds £362 per child yearly.
Comprehensive Fee Structure Takes Effect
The Ministry of Education published the new fee structure in a Gazette Notice on 6 February 2026, signed by Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, with the policy taking effect from 5 January 2026 [1][6]. Under the revised framework, day secondary schools receive full government funding of Sh22,244 per student annually, eliminating all parental contributions for tuition [1][2][6]. This represents a fundamental shift in Kenya’s education financing model, ensuring that no family pays fees for day school attendance.
Boarding School Cost Structure
For boarding secondary schools, the government maintains its Sh22,244 per student contribution whilst parents face capped fees of either Sh53,554 or Sh40,535 annually, depending on the school’s approved cost category [1][2][6]. The higher fee bracket applies to national boarding schools, whilst the lower amount covers regional boarding institutions [1]. Schools must distribute these payments across three academic terms following a 50:30:20 ratio, providing families with manageable payment schedules [1][6].
Special Needs Education Investment
Special needs secondary schools benefit from the most substantial government investment under the new structure, with total annual costs reaching Sh70,764 per learner [1][2][6]. Parents contribute just Sh12,790 whilst the government covers Sh57,974, representing 81.926 of the total cost [1][2]. This significant subsidy recognises the additional resources required for specialised educational provision and ensures accessibility for families with special needs children.
Implementation and Compliance Measures
Cabinet Secretary Ogamba explicitly warned schools against charging additional fees beyond the gazetted structure, stating that ‘no public school shall charge tuition fees or any other extra fees or levies contrary to the fee structure stipulated hereinabove’ [1][6]. The new framework applies to all public secondary schools operating under both the Competency-Based Education and 8-4-4 systems [2][6]. Any future variations to the fee structure must receive approval from the Cabinet Secretary before implementation, ensuring centralised oversight of education costs [1]. The policy revokes Gazette Notice No. 1555 of 2015, marking a complete overhaul of Kenya’s secondary school funding approach [1].