By Obegi Malack
@obegimalack
Olkejuado High School principal has turned away students who reported back without parents and re-admission letters after they under-performed in midterm exams.
The students were sent back home on Friday with their belongings including mattresses even after the principal promising to readmit them without conditions for readmission.
The Principal James Passiany had earlier sent letters to parents of the students who had scored D+ and below instructing them to report back with handwritten application for readmission stating why they should be reconsidered.
“Following your son’s performance in examination term 1, 2019 you are requested to accompany him to school…you are required to sign a commitment form upon and if considered for readmission,” part of the letter dated 5th April 2019 read.
The school had directed the parents of students who had dismal results in the examinations to buy new set of uniforms, new bedding, pay full school fees and other items, most of the items are of those joining form.
In an interview with this writer on Monday the principal denied that the students were expelled, he said they are only required to explain why they performed poorly and how they will improve.
“When we talk of readmission we want them to make a commitment like what is it that you can do to improve your performance, we allowed them to go home with their items to make it easy for us in checking those who did not have the items in school,” he said. He noted that most of the students had performed poorly since they had no learning materials listed in the letter.
Aggrieved parents who spoke with this writer on anonymity alleged that the school has been extorting money from parents illegally, they said form four students are forced to pay sh 4,500 every year to teachers as “motivation fee” they were also forced to pay sh 10,000 for construction of dormitory.
“In one case they were forced to pay sh 200 each for a broken windowpane, this is a lot of money in a class of 50 students,” a parent said.
Another parent had alleged that the form three and four students were sent home for the sh 200 for the broken windowpane.
The principal denied the allegations, he said the parents do not pay the “motivation fee” he said they were only required to pay sh 5,000 each as harambee for construction of the dormitory,the fundraising is expected to take place this year. On the windowpane issue they had contributed sh 200 each.
