By GPC Reporter
A directive requiring every public comprehensive school in Kisii County to contribute KSh2,000 towards the upcoming Gusii Stakeholders Education Convention has raised questions over the basis of the levy and how the money will be accounted for.
The convention, bringing together education stakeholders from Kisii and Nyamira counties, is scheduled for September 10 and 11, 2026, at Kisii University.
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In a letter dated August 28, 2026, the Kisii County Director of Education, Philip Chirchir, asked heads of public comprehensive schools to remit the money towards the event.
The letter says the decision followed a meeting of the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KECSHA) Governing Council held on August 27, where members deliberated on how to support the convention.
“The Governing Council resolved that every Comprehensive School (Primary & Junior School) will support the convention by contributing Kshs.2,000/=” the letter states.
It further directs that the money be collected by KECSHA at sub-county level and submitted to the KECSHA county bank account by September 3 “for onward transmission to the bank account opened to handle all monies for the convention.”
However, confidential sources familiar with the matter have questioned why schools are being required to make the contribution and whether there is a clear administrative or financial framework governing the collection.
One source questioned whether schools, which operate using public funds and are subject to strict financial controls, can be directed to make a contribution to an event without clear documentation showing the authority under which the levy is being imposed.
“What is the basis of asking every school to contribute KSh2,000? Is this an approved school expenditure, a voluntary contribution or a levy?” the source asked.
More concerns
Another source raised concerns about the accountability chain, particularly because the money is expected to pass through several levels before reaching the account designated for the convention.
The source questioned how individual schools will record the payment in their financial records and what documentation will be issued to confirm that each school has remitted its contribution.
“If the money is collected at sub-county level, how will each school account for it? And once it reaches the county account, who will be responsible for accounting for the total amount?” the source asked.
The concerns come as schools continue to operate under increasingly stringent requirements on financial management and accountability, making proper documentation of any expenditure or contribution particularly important.
The directive does not, in the letter seen by this publication, provide details of the total amount expected to be raised, the number of schools expected to contribute, the budget for the convention or the specific activities the KSh2,000 contribution will finance.
It also does not set out the mechanism through which schools will receive receipts or other formal evidence of payment.
The letter says the money will ultimately be transferred to a bank account “opened to handle all monies for the convention”, but does not identify the account, the account holders or the committee responsible for administering the funds.
A further concern among the sources is whether there will be a consolidated financial report after the convention showing the amount collected, expenditure incurred and any balance remaining.
The sources stressed that their questions were not necessarily opposition to the convention, but rather a call for transparency over public institutions’ financial contributions.
The convention is being promoted as a platform for education stakeholders in the Gusii region to discuss the future of education. Its theme is “Reimagining Education in the Gusii Region Through Collaboration and…” according to publicity for the event.
The County Director of Education’s letter concludes by appealing for cooperation from school heads “to make the convention a success”.
