Service delivery in educational institutions is entirely dependent on financing. In Kenya, public secondary school education services are financially supported by both government subsidy and parents’ payment of minimal levies. This study focused on the role of parents in payment of school levies. The study sought to establish effects of non-payment of school levies by parents on service delivery in selected public secondary schools. Based on the study, this paper examines the influence of non-payments of school levies by parents on school programmes and projects. The study utilized descriptive survey research design. It targeted 31 public secondary schools in Ainabkoi Sub-County of Uasin Gishu County. A total of 18 public secondary schools were sampled using stratified random sampling. All of the schools’ principals (18) and bursars (18) were sampled purposively. The research data was then collected using open-ended interview schedule and document analysis methods. The quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics (tables, frequencies, percentages and graphs) with the help of SPSS (Statistical package for the social Sciences version 20 for Windows) program. From the interviews, the study established that non-payment of school levies by parents negatively affected educational programmes and school projects. Document analysis also indicated that all the schools had arrears of unpaid levies by parents across the three years from 2012-2014. It was therefore concluded that non-payment of school levies was a critical threat to school programmes and school projects. In accordance with these research results, the schools, the Ministry of Education and other sponsors of education in secondary schools should enforce school fees payment regulations. Moreover, parents should be sensitized on the importance of paying school levies on time. Similarly, future researchers should consider modalities of levy payment, for better service delivery.
Keywords: Non-Payment, Parents, School Levies, Secondary School Programmes
