I spent all day yesterday at a high school board meeting. Top on the agenda was 2019 financials & 2020 budget.
School has 900 pupils.
School charges exactly sh53,544 per year.
School has above average diet (3 eggs per week, meat 3 times a week etc)
pd.co.ke/news/education…
School has 900 pupils.
School charges exactly sh53,544 per year.
School has above average diet (3 eggs per week, meat 3 times a week etc)
pd.co.ke/news/education…
School also spent sh3M on repairs.
Yet, school has sh9M surplus in 2019. Add sh16M saved in previous years and we closed year with sh25M.
Will spend sh23M to build new 300-bed dorm - contractor on site
Sh2M to sink new borehole - waiting NEMA approval
Yet, school has sh9M surplus in 2019. Add sh16M saved in previous years and we closed year with sh25M.
Will spend sh23M to build new 300-bed dorm - contractor on site
Sh2M to sink new borehole - waiting NEMA approval
250k on pupils entertainment system & 65in TV.
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Moral of the story?
The government prescribed fees are MORE THAN ENOUGH to run a school. No one should be asking for more.
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Moral of the story?
The government prescribed fees are MORE THAN ENOUGH to run a school. No one should be asking for more.
6 years ago, the school was dying under weight of sh21M debt. Was surving at mercy of suppliers, but they weren't very kind. They charged premium prices for everything since payments we delayed for six months or more.
Then school board & management changed....
Then school board & management changed....
Audited, verified & "owned" old debts.
Signed payment agreements with creditors
Advertised new tenders with commitment to pay new supplies "cheque-on-delivery" basis.
That dropped prices of most supplies by over 50%.
Used savings to clear old debts in 2 years...
Signed payment agreements with creditors
Advertised new tenders with commitment to pay new supplies "cheque-on-delivery" basis.
That dropped prices of most supplies by over 50%.
Used savings to clear old debts in 2 years...
Today, all supplies are paid within 7days from delivery. School gets lowest prices - lower than wholesale!
It hasn't been smooth sailing.
Govt policy shifts can derail & delay plans.
Up to 2017, we charged sh53,544. We made 2018 budget based on this figure. Hoped to save enough to start building the dorm in January 2018 - even got designs finalised.
Then govt changed fee structure!
Govt policy shifts can derail & delay plans.
Up to 2017, we charged sh53,544. We made 2018 budget based on this figure. Hoped to save enough to start building the dorm in January 2018 - even got designs finalised.
Then govt changed fee structure!
As an Ex-County school, our fees were dropped to sh40,535 - sh13,000 less!
No way we could make savings. Indeed, even normal operations were tight.
To make things worse, govt started the 100% transition policy. So, we were given an extra stream of form 1s in 2018 intake!
No way we could make savings. Indeed, even normal operations were tight.
To make things worse, govt started the 100% transition policy. So, we were given an extra stream of form 1s in 2018 intake!
Govt gave us sh1.5M to build one classroom (now you know why many public schools look like unplanned slums), but nothing for dorm expansion. *remember: our dorms were already congested!
We converted one workshop into a dorm a computer lab into a classroom.
We converted one workshop into a dorm a computer lab into a classroom.
With the sh1.5M and savings from 2017, we started construction of 4 classrooms in 2018
Then called parents and asked for help. They agreed to pay an extra sh7k in 2019 for construction of new dorm.
Then in 3rd term 2018, govt fee structure changed again - this time to our benefit! As an urban school, we were asked to charge sh53,544 (phew!)
Then in 3rd term 2018, govt fee structure changed again - this time to our benefit! As an urban school, we were asked to charge sh53,544 (phew!)
With this, there was no need to charge the extra sh7k that parents had agreed.
But, you never know; govt might wake up tomorrow and announce that it has reduced fees "because of hard economic times"
But, you never know; govt might wake up tomorrow and announce that it has reduced fees "because of hard economic times"
What I've learnt over the years I've been in the school BoM is that the government of Kenya is NOT serious about education. Education is just a tool for gaining political mileage. No wonder it was not part of the president's #Big4Agenda legacy program.
That's how a dorm that was supposed to be built in 2018 will now be built in 2020.
I recommend that this current thread should be read together with this previous one:
I think that the reason many schools are in such financial mess is that audits are done regularly. In the last seven years that I have been in this board, we have only seen ONE audit report. This was for 2011 and it was given to us in 2015!
It showed that we had a debt of Sh17M. When the govt auditor read out the figure with great concern, I couldn't help laughing out loud!
We had established Sh21M and had already paid nearly all of it [just one instalment of a bank loan to buy a school pick-up van was remaining]
We had established Sh21M and had already paid nearly all of it [just one instalment of a bank loan to buy a school pick-up van was remaining]
After that, we kept asking for audited reports but none came. We stopped bothering - they will bring them when they want!
In my view, the @EduMinKenya & @OAG_Kenya should appoint private firms to carry out the audits in schools and bring all of them up to date
In my view, the @EduMinKenya & @OAG_Kenya should appoint private firms to carry out the audits in schools and bring all of them up to date
@EduMinKenya @OAG_Kenya I know a public primary school that uses private auditors and its finances are in very good state. Parents get a full audit report each year in March - properly bound like the one you get from a listed company [OK, no glossy PR pictures, just the numbers].
The new dorm taking shape....
Second slab to be done by end of March (concrete needs 28 days to cure properly)
Roofing scheduled for April.....
On course to complete by end of June.
Second slab to be done by end of March (concrete needs 28 days to cure properly)
Roofing scheduled for April.....
On course to complete by end of June.
2019 and 2018 KCSE...
The computer science exam is easy. Nearly all candidates score A. KNEC needs to revisit!
The computer science exam is easy. Nearly all candidates score A. KNEC needs to revisit!
Our new dorm steadily taking shape. Wall painting and window glazing to start on Tuesday, 2nd June. Everything working on schedule.... despite Covid19 manenos!
