Uproar as Council of Legal Education (CLE) Hikes ATP Exam Fees by 100% Amid Budget Crisis
A wave of outrage is sweeping through Kenya’s legal education sector as the Council of Legal Education (CLE) moves to double examination fees for the Advocates Training Programme (ATP), sparking protests and fears that aspiring lawyers from low-income backgrounds will be locked out of the profession. Under the new fee structure, law students sitting for [...] The post Uproar as Council of Legal…
In Kenya, the Council of Legal Education (CLE) is facing backlash after doubling the fees for the Advocates Training Programme (ATP) examination. The cost per paper has risen from KSh 5,000 to KSh 10,000, while resits have increased from KSh 10,000 to KSh 20,000, and remarks have jumped from KSh 15,000 to KSh 30,000. The full ATP examination, consisting of nine papers, now costs KSh 90,000, up from KSh 45,000.
This substantial increase comes amid a severe budget crisis at the CLE, with the institution reporting a KSh 202 million budget cut in 2024 and no longer receiving financial support from the National Treasury. The CLE's Working Committee on Legal Education Reforms recommended raising examination fees and suggested further hikes if no action is taken.
Law students have protested the decision, fearing that the hike will price low-income aspiring lawyers out of the profession. The committee highlighted that the fee increases could disproportionately impact students who struggle financially, as the institution now charges KSh 15,000 for re-marking and KSh 10,000 per re-sit. The crisis underscores broader issues within Kenya's legal education system, including budget cuts, mismanagement, and exclusionary policies.
Legal experts call for government support to prevent a decline in legal education quality and to ensure students can afford the fees.
Written by urgent.news from KahawaTungu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
