Last reviewed: 18 October 2026
Fees for every public senior school in Kenya are set by the Cabinet Secretary for Education in the Kenya Gazette. The current structure is Gazette Notice No. 1449, issued under sections 28(1) and 29(1) and (2) of the Basic Education Act (Cap. 211). It is dated 12 January 2026, was published in the Kenya Gazette of 6 February 2026 and took effect on 5 January 2026. It applies to learners in both Competency-Based Education (Grade 10 onwards) and the remaining 8-4-4 forms. Every figure below is copied from the gazette itself (Kenya Gazette of 6 February 2026, via Kenya Law) and is current as of October 2026.
On this page
Day Senior Schools: Fully Government-Funded
| Vote head | Government (KSh) | Parent (KSh) |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | 4,144 | 0 |
| Activity fees | 1,500 | 0 |
| Medical and insurance | 2,000 | 0 |
| SMASSE | 200 | 0 |
| Other vote heads (Admin, L&T, EWC, P.E.) | 9,400 | 0 |
| Maintenance and improvement | 5,000 | 0 |
| Total | 22,244 | 0 |
The KSh 22,244 is the government’s capitation per learner per year. “EWC” is electricity, water and conservancy, “L&T” is local transport and travel, and “P.E.” is personal emoluments (pay for staff the school employs). SMASSE is a mathematics and science teacher-training programme.
Boarding Senior Schools: Two Ceilings
The notice groups boarding schools by the maximum fee they were “previously approved” to charge. It does not list schools by name.
(i) Schools previously approved for a maximum of KSh 53,554
| Vote head | Government (KSh) | Parent (KSh) | Total (KSh) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teaching, learning materials and exams | 4,144 | 0 | 4,144 |
| Boarding equipment and stores | 0 | 30,385 | 30,385 |
| Maintenance and improvement | 5,000 | 2,000 | 7,000 |
| Other vote heads (LT&T, Adm., EWC, P.E.) | 9,400 | 20,371 | 29,771 |
| Activity fees | 1,500 | 798 | 2,298 |
| Medical and insurance | 2,000 | 0 | 2,000 |
| SMASSE | 200 | 0 | 200 |
| Total | 22,244 | 53,554 | 75,798 |
(ii) Schools previously approved for a maximum of KSh 40,535
| Vote head | Government (KSh) | Parent (KSh) | Total (KSh) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teaching, learning materials and exams | 4,144 | 0 | 4,144 |
| Boarding equipment and stores | 0 | 25,385 | 25,385 |
| Maintenance and improvement | 5,000 | 2,000 | 7,000 |
| Other vote heads (LT&T, Adm., EWC, P.E.) | 9,400 | 12,900 | 22,300 |
| Activity fees | 1,500 | 250 | 1,750 |
| Medical and insurance | 2,000 | 0 | 2,000 |
| SMASSE | 200 | 0 | 200 |
| Total | 22,244 | 40,535 | 62,779 |
Some news reports gave the parent’s activity fee in the first table as KSh 795. The gazette says KSh 798, and only 798 makes the column add up to 53,554.
Special Needs Senior Schools
| Vote head | Government (KSh) | Parent (KSh) | Total (KSh) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teaching, learning materials and exams | 4,144 | 0 | 4,144 |
| Boarding equipment and stores | 23,220 | 10,790 | 34,010 |
| Maintenance and improvement | 5,000 | 2,000 | 7,000 |
| Other vote heads (LT&T, Adm., EWC, P.E.) | 9,400 | 0 | 9,400 |
| Activity fees | 1,500 | 0 | 1,500 |
| Medical and insurance | 2,000 | 0 | 2,000 |
| Top up | 12,510 | 0 | 12,510 |
| SMASSE | 200 | 0 | 200 |
| Total | 57,974 | 12,790 | 70,764 |
How Much to Pay Each Term
The notice says schools “shall spread these fees over the three school terms at the ratio of 50:30:20”. Applied to the parent’s share:
| Annual parent fee (KSh) | Term 1 (50%) | Term 2 (30%) | Term 3 (20%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 53,554 | 26,777 | 16,066.20 | 10,710.80 |
| 40,535 | 20,267.50 | 12,160.50 | 8,107 |
| 12,790 (special needs) | 6,395 | 3,837 | 2,558 |
The termly amounts are our arithmetic from the gazetted ratio. Schools often round them, for example to KSh 26,777, 16,066 and 10,711.
The Rules That Come With the Fees
- “No public school shall charge tuition fees or any other extra fees or levies contrary to the fees structure.”
- Schools charging below the ceilings “are encouraged to maintain their rates”.
- Any future change must be approved by the Cabinet Secretary and gazetted.
- The notice revokes Gazette Notice No. 1555 of 2015, the old secondary fees guideline.
The Ministry’s Guidelines for Implementation of Senior School Education (October 2025) add more. Schools must issue fee structures by vote head at the start of the year, give official receipts and use official payment channels. Written approval for any levy must come from the CS through the County Education Board, after consulting the Parents’ Association. Schools may allow instalments under a signed payment plan while the learner stays in school, and they are prohibited from sending students away for non-payment of boarding fees, as provided in the Basic Education Act (MoE guidelines, section 7.6). Lunch in day schools is described there as voluntary, paid by parents who choose it.
What the Gazette Does Not Cover
Uniform, the “shopping” list (mattress, bedding, toiletries, stationery), transport, pocket money and any approved lunch programme in a day school are outside the gazetted fee. Budget for them separately. Our guide to hidden CBC costs looks at these, and boarding vs day school costs compares the full picture.
Which Ceiling Applies to My Child’s School?
Because the notice does not name schools, ask the school directly which ceiling it falls under. Request the fee structure on letterhead, broken down by the same vote heads. If the parent total is above KSh 53,554 for a boarding school, or anything above zero for a day school excluding voluntary lunch, ask in writing what the extra is for and which approval covers it. Unresolved cases can go to the sub-county or county director of education. The Education CS has also told parents to report illegal levies to education offices or the police (Kenyans.co.ke).
For school-by-school figures, see our school fees hub. For a wider view across levels and private schools, Business Radar’s school fees in Kenya hub is also useful. If you are struggling to raise fees, see bursaries and scholarships for senior school.
Sources
- Kenya Gazette, 6 February 2026, Gazette Notice No. 1449: Senior School Fees Structure (Kenya Law).
- Ministry of Education, Guidelines for Implementation of Senior School Education (October 2025).