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Parents in Nyamira County have appealed to school principals not to send learners home over unpaid school fees as schools reopen following the Term Two half-term break.
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The argue that sending students home for fee arrears exposes them to social risks that could otherwise be avoided if they remained in school.
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However, deputy principals who spoke to Education News on behalf of their principals defended the decision to send learners home, saying schools face serious financial constraints.
Parents in Nyamira County have appealed to school principals not to send learners home over unpaid school fees as schools reopen following the Term Two half-term break.
Instead, they are urging school administrators to engage parents and guardians in dialogue and allow them to clear outstanding balances through flexible payment arrangements without disrupting learners’ education.
Speaking to Education News at Nyapara-Ibere, parents led by Peter Kombo and David Bosire said sending students home for fee arrears exposes them to social risks that could otherwise be avoided if they remained in school.
According to the parents, learners who stay at home after being sent away from school are more vulnerable to teenage pregnancies, drug and substance abuse, and other forms of risky behaviour.
They also warned that frequent interruptions to learning negatively affect academic performance, saying that, learners who miss lessons often struggle to catch up with syllabus coverage, particularly as the country continues implementing the Competency-Based Education(CBE) and prepares candidates for national examinations.
The parents noted that prolonged absence from school creates learning gaps, lowers students’ confidence, and can ultimately contribute to increased school dropout rates. They added that teachers are also forced to repeat lessons for returning learners, slowing down progress for the rest of the class.
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However, deputy principals who spoke to Education News on behalf of their principals defended the decision to send learners home, saying schools face serious financial constraints.
Most principals were reportedly still travelling back from Mombasa, where they had attended their annual conference.
One deputy principal questioned how schools were expected to continue providing meals for boarding students without the necessary fee payments.
“We depend on school fees to feed learners. How do parents expect schools to maintain students when there is no money to buy food?” he asked.
The administrators further advised parents experiencing financial difficulties to consider enrolling their children in day schools instead of boarding institutions, where the cost of upkeep is significantly lower.
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Parents, however, maintained that the prevailing economic hardships have made it increasingly difficult to raise school fees and appealed to school heads to exercise understanding by allowing payment in instalments.
A spot check by Education News on Monday found several learners—particularly day scholars; walking home with their luggage in Kebirigo, Ting’a, Sironga, Tombe and Manga trading centres shortly after reporting back to school.
The students said they had been instructed to return home to collect school fees before being allowed back into class.
The survey also observed some learners, especially boys, travelling on overloaded boda bodas, with three to five passengers sharing a single motorcycle while carrying heavy luggage, exposing themselves to significant road safety risks.
Parents have now called on school administrations and Boards of Management to adopt more flexible fee payment plans and work closely with families facing financial challenges to ensure learners remain in school throughout the term without unnecessary interruptions.
By Enock Okong’o
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