The High Court on Wednesday suspended the government’s directive requiring parents to pay school fees in government-owned schools through the e-Citizen online platform.
High Court Judge Justice Chacha Mwita issued an interim conservatory order favoring Nakuru petitioner Benjamin Magare Gikenji, citing fundamental issues raised.
“In his ruling, Justice Mwita suspended the circular or letter issued by Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang of the Ministry of Education on January 31, 2024, mandating parents/guardians and students to pay fees and other levies through the e-Citizen platform,” read the ruling.
On January 3, the Ministry of Education started the procedure by instructing all national school principals to use the platform to collect tuition.
To improve service delivery, Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang conveyed the direction while emphasizing the collaboration efforts with pertinent authorities.
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Nonetheless, the court ruling put a halt to this directive's execution, highlighting the petitioner's concerns about accessibility and openness.
President William Ruto discussed the matter at a meeting of Kenyan citizens in Japan on Wednesday.
He claimed that the directive will prevent schools from assessing parents' unnecessary costs.
He reiterated the government's resolve to use centralized payment platforms like e-Citizen to lower corruption and increase accountability.
The directive made public in June 2023, sought to expedite government payments while reducing the likelihood of financial malfeasance between departments and agencies.
President Ruto emphasized implementing improved payment systems to safeguard public revenue and end financial exploitation.
