A section of students joining the university in Watamu area in Kilifi Count may fail to report to the institutions due to school fee arrears in their former high schools.
The students now want the government to waive the fee arrears so that they can go pick up their Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results transcripts to enable them to proceed with their education.
Fillister Mwalo, a former student of Matuga Girls High School has a fee balance of Sh. 50,000 that has blocked her from getting her KCSE result slip and school leaving certificate hence affecting her resolve to join Kabarak University where she is to study law.
“I had a fee balance of Sh. 50,000 and due to family financial background. My fear is that I may fail to join since my parents are unable to raise the fee balance so that I can get my KCSE result slip. I have spoken to the University but for me to join, they want original certificates,” she said.
Her mother Melisa Nambasi is now calling for help to enable her to clear the school fee arrears so that she can travel to Moi University for admission.
“My daughter is to join university but I have nothing to take her. The fee balance at Matuga is beyond me because I am financially broke. If I can get help from any quarter I will appreciate it,” she said.
The same fate has befallen Fadhil Mwalungo and her sister Ruphina Nyadzua who are supposed to join Maseno and Meru Universities respectively.
Fadhil who sat his KCSE examination at Ribe Boys High School is unable to join Maseno University to study geography and natural resource management for lack of the admission fee while her sister Ruphina has a school fee arrear of Sh. 60,000 owed to her former Bahari Girls High School which may deny her dream of studying Tourism Management at Meru University.
“I am supposed to report on 11th September but I have not even paid a single penny yet I must pay in full before I join,” said Fadhil.
Ruphina said that their problem is compounded by the fact that she and the brother are supposed to join school at the same time.
“The fees required at university is Sh. 102,000 yet I have not even cleared the school fee balance at my former high school,” she said.
Mrs Petronila Uchi, their mother is also calling for support since her children are already late for admission.
“Ruphina was to join Meru University on 28th August but the fee balance at Bahari Girls is the problem while for Fadhil to join Maseno University, I need the admission fee which I don’t have,” he said.
Mrs Esther Nambuya, a parent, said that there were fears of such students getting into bad behavior for failing to join school and called on the government to waive the school fee arrears.
“Some were to join university in August, some in September and some in October but the high school fee balance is a headache to many students. We fear that if they fail to join university, they may end up in immoral behaviors due to depression,” she said.
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