Pay Your Way

Imagine not attending school, not because you would rather hang with your friends, sleep in, or play the latest video game, but because you/your parents are unable to pay the required school fees.  This is a common occurrence for many kids in east Africa.  Students and their families here in Kenya and Uganda know the importance an education plays in a person's life.  Education is power.  For many it is a way out of extreme poverty.  It is an opportunity to gain skills and knowledge to be able to make a difference in their communities.  To give back.

In many African countries secondary education (and sometimes primary) is not funded by the government, but entirely by the people.  In Kenya, the government has moved towards funding all schools, but unfortunately this funding is sparse and fails to come close to meeting the school's needs.  While in Kenya I spoke with a principal and science teacher at a private neighborhood school founded 6 years ago.  Parents choose to send their kids to private school hoping for a better education than what is offered in the government funded public schools.  Betty Mutegi (the principal) informed me that it costs $300,000 to run the school for a year.  Students struggle to pay fees which in turn pay teacher salaries.  In addition, students pay for uniforms and textbooks.  Walking away from the conversation I felt overwhelmed.  This is not an isolated case, but is the problem of many schools in the region.  Several days later I sat down with a Kenyan friend of mine, a local community development workers and asked, "How can people help the education system here?"

He had an incredibly valid point.  "Many school administrators ask for funds for the school, but what will they be for?  Desks, materials, and textbooks?  If students are unable to attend school it will have been for nothing.  Desks will be empty, textbooks unused, and there will be no need for teachers.  Provide an opportunity for school fees to be paid.  Get the kids in the classroom."

In the U.S we take education for granted far too often.  Although we have many similar problems to schools around the world, everyone has the opportunity to attend school, even college.  Would you participate more actively in your education if you knew it wasn't a guarantee?