By Erick Nyayiera
Maranda High School students are required to produce a mandatory certificate of drug test and pay a fine of Sh5,125 before being readmitted to school.
The school which was indefinitely closed last term after a dormitory fire has asked parents and guardians through the school’s Board of Management and the office of the principal to subject all students to a drug test and should produce valid certificates upon reopening.
Mr. Edwin Namachanja, the principal has confirmed that the students are reporting back to school and that they should all have drug test certificates after undergone the tests, adding that by the time of readmission, parents and guardians together with their children are being notified of random testing at any time that the institution may deem fit.
The move has however drawn mixed reactions from education stakeholders with church leaders led by Rev. Kenneth Wachianga of the ACK Maseno West Diocese arguing that since it was meant to combat cases of unruliness in schools, it should not be done to students alone.
He argues that for cases such as school fires to happen, there are a lot of people involved including teachers and even the non-teaching staff who, according to him, should also be subject to some rigorous scrutiny.
On his part, Felix Okech who is an advocate of the High Court condemned the move to subject the students to mandatory drug tests, claiming that is unconstitutional.
Mr. Okech who is a constitutional lawyer, argues that the move is intrusive in nature and that it violates the inherent right to privacy and autonomy of a person, adding that the right to education cannot be pegged on the outcome of a baseless compulsory drug test.
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