Parents of students at Litein High School in Kericho have moved to the High Court, seeking orders to stop the school’s administration from imposing a Sh 49,000 levy per student as compensation for damages allegedly caused during a recent student strike.
The parents, represented by lawyers led by Danstan Omari, argue that the decision by the Board of Management (BoM) is illegal, unconstitutional, and amounts to exploitation of parents. They claim the school exaggerated the value of the damaged property and failed to follow due process and transparency in assessing the losses.
Speaking to reporters, Mr Omari said the school administration must be held accountable for its financial decisions and ensure that all actions align with the Constitution and the Basic Education Act.
“The school cannot arbitrarily impose a levy on parents without a transparent audit of the alleged damages. What we are witnessing is exploitation masquerading as discipline. This is a legality,” said Omari.
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He said the Sh 49,000 charge per student is unreasonable, given that the school’s total infrastructure and property are valued at more than Sh100 million.
He termed the damage estimates as grossly inflated and called on the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to investigate the school’s financial records and expenditure.
“We want EACC to move in immediately and audit the school’s accounts. Parents have a right to know how funds are managed and whether public resources are being misused,” Omari added.
The parents also protested a directive requiring Form Four candidates to report to school later than other students — a move they said was unfair, illogical, and likely to disrupt their preparation for upcoming national examinations.
“Delaying the reporting of candidates just weeks before their exams is discriminatory and a violation of Article 53 of the Constitution, which guarantees every child the right to education,” said one of the parents.
The petitioners are requesting that the court issue interim orders suspending the levy and quashing the decision by management until an independent audit of the alleged damages is conducted and due process is followed.
“We seek protection of the parents, and we want justice to be served,” he said.
By our reporter
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