Ruto Stands Firm on School Fee Digitalisation Despite Growing Opposition

President William Ruto has defended the government’s plan to require school fee payments to be made through the e-Citizen platform, despite ongoing opposition from educators, parents and civil society groups.

Speaking at the second annual education conference in Naivasha on Thursday, the President said the proposal forms part of the government’s wider effort to digitise public finance and improve accountability in schools. He said electronic payments would strengthen record-keeping, reduce cash handling and limit opportunities for financial mismanagement.

The remarks renewed debate over a policy that critics say does not reflect the economic realities facing many Kenyan families, particularly in rural areas. Education groups and school administrators argue that the system could disadvantage vulnerable households that rely on informal payment arrangements to keep children in school.

In many low-income communities, parents do not always pay school fees in cash. Some schools accept alternative contributions such as farm produce, firewood or manual labour from families with unstable or seasonal incomes. Opponents of the e-Citizen directive say these arrangements help prevent children from dropping out of school.

Boaz Waruku, Policy and Strategy Advisor at the Elimu Bora Working Group, said the government had failed to consider the social and economic conditions under which many public schools operate. He argued that the push for a centralised digital system reflected a pattern of policies introduced without sufficient consultation.

Waruku said mandatory online payments could disadvantage families that operate outside the formal cash economy. He added that the government should focus on adequately funding schools instead of placing additional pressure on parents already facing financial hardship.

Dr Emmanuel Manyasa, Executive Director of Usawa Agenda, also supported stronger accountability in school finance but warned against policies that ignore regional inequalities. He said many schools continue accepting agricultural produce and other non-cash contributions because such flexibility allows children to remain in school.

Manyasa cautioned that requiring parents to sell produce before making electronic payments could expose them to low market prices and financial losses. He said reforms aimed at modernising school finance should take into account poverty levels and unequal access to digital infrastructure.

The dispute over the policy began in early 2024 when the government directed schools to process fee payments through e-Citizen and instructed principals to submit institutional banking details to the State Department for Basic Education. The move was opposed by head teachers and education associations, which questioned the practicality of centralising school finances through a government platform.

School administrators warned that delays in transferring money back to schools could disrupt daily operations, including food purchases, payments for casual workers and emergency spending. Others said poor internet connectivity and limited digital access in some areas would make compliance difficult for many parents.

In April 2025, the High Court overturned the directive after finding that the government had not conducted adequate public participation before introducing the policy. The court also ruled that school fees are not government revenue and said the directive failed to consider parents without internet access or those relying on non-cash payment methods.

Although the case is still before the Court of Appeal, President Ruto’s latest remarks indicate that the government intends to continue pursuing the proposal.

Within the education sector, debate has focused less on digitisation itself and more on how the system would operate. Some teachers and school heads say electronic payments could improve accountability if schools receive funds without delay and retain direct control over their finances.

Ndung’u Wangenye, National Secretary of the Kenya Teachers in Hardship and Arid Areas Welfare Association, said the main concern was whether money paid through e-Citizen would reach school accounts promptly. He warned that delays could disrupt institutions that depend on steady cash flow for daily operations.

Wangenye also said schools should retain flexibility when dealing with disadvantaged families. He argued that a strict digital-only payment system could reduce access to education in hardship areas where parents often depend on informal payment arrangements.