Parents at Father Makewa Secondary staged a walkout on Wednesday, taking their children home following a heated disagreement with the school’s administration.
The source of contention was a demand by the school for each student to pay Ksh10,000 as compensation for damages caused by a dormitory fire two weeks ago.
The blaze completely destroyed the dormitory, which housed Form 4 students, leaving them stranded considering that they are preparing for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE)l examinations later this year.
Several parents who spoke to the press expressed frustration, questioning how the school arrived at the Ksh10,000 figure.
“We were never consulted. We don’t even know how they came up with this amount. These are difficult economic times for all of us,” said one parent. “For them to demand this much money without transparency is unfair.”
The parents also raised concerns about the handling of their children’s belongings following the fire.
Many claimed that students’ personal property, including school supplies, had been carelessly stored.
One parent noted, “We received a message from the school asking us to bring our children back along with Ksh10,000, but after the fire, none of the children’s things were kept well. If their belongings are lost or damaged, we will demand compensation from the school administration.”
Adding to their dissatisfaction, the school principal declined to address the press regarding the matter.
Reporters were unable to gain access to the school compound as the main gate remained locked and manned by police, further fueling suspicions of dishonesty on the school’s part.
By Agnes Orang’o
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