The National Assembly, Departmental  Committee on Education  led by Vice Chairperson, Hon. Malulu Injendi (Malava), met with the Principal Secretary for Immigration and Citizen Services,  Amb. (Prof.) Julius K. Bitok regarding the implementation of the presidential directive on payment of school fees through the E-Citizen platform. 

Members questioned the feasibility of the plan, particularly for families living in remote areas without reliable internet access and electricity.

"How will parents in villages be expected to pay school fees online?"  Hon. Jerusha Momanyi (Nyamira) asked.

Amb. Bitok acknowledged the challenges but stated that eCitizen has a robust system to streamline school fee collection. He pointed out that there are ongoing consultations between his department and the Ministry of Education to address concerns.

Hon. Ijendi raised concern with the potential for additional fees associated with using the eCitizen platform, placing an extra burden on parents. 

Hon. Rebecca Tonkei (Narok) sought to know whether parents would incur extra costs by paying school fees using the e-citizen.

Amb. Bitok assured the Committee that there will be no extra charges incurred by parents and guardians.

 "We are not going to charge transaction fees to parents for paying school fees," he said. .

The PS also informed Members that the implementation is planned to begin on May 1st, 2024, subject to resolution of a court order and completion of stakeholders’ engagement. 

 He added that while some educational institutions are already boarded on eCitizen, there are still thousands, including county schools and national schools that require integration.

 Amb. Bitok further outlined challenges faced during the implementation, including initial compatibility issues with university systems and a slow onboarding rate. He highlighted ongoing efforts to address these issues, such as adapting the eCitizen platform to university needs and working with institutions to expedite the process