Kenyans on social media expressed outrage on Tuesday night after reports emerged that some students from St. Anne’s Girls Secondary School along Jogoo Road, Nairobi, were left to spend part of the night outside the school gates.
The students were reportedly locked out by the school principal due to unpaid fees, defying the Ministry of Education’s directive against sending students home over fee arrears.
In a video shared online, the stranded students revealed they had been barred from re-entering the school premises as early as 10 a.m., leaving some with no option but to camp outside the gates.
“I was sent away because I had paid only half the required fees. I come from Kisii and had nowhere else to go,” one student lamented.
As night fell, their ordeal captured public attention, prompting Makadara MP George Aladwa to intervene.
“Following reports that students were locked out of St. Anne’s Girls Secondary School, I dispatched my team to resolve the situation,” Aladwa said.
“I have since instructed the school management to grant access to the students, and I am pleased to confirm that the situation has now been resolved, with all students safely inside the school. Parents are kindly advised to remain patient and refrain from any further concerns at this time,” he said.
He confirmed that all students were later allowed back into the school.
Efforts to reach Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos for comment were unsuccessful. The school management also remained silent on the matter.
The incident has sparked widespread criticism, especially as it contradicts recent government assurances that no student would be excluded from school due to fee challenges.
Possible Actions
- Ministry of Education Inquiry: The Education Ministry is expected to investigate the principal’s actions and issue an official statement addressing the violation of government policy.
- Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Action: The TSC may take disciplinary measures against the principal for negligence and failure to comply with established directives.
- Policy Reinforcement: The government could introduce stricter enforcement mechanisms to ensure school heads adhere to fee-related policies.
- Parliamentary Oversight: Lawmakers could summon education officials and school administrators to explain the incident and propose reforms to protect students from similar occurrences.
- Community Support Initiatives: Local leaders and NGOs may step in to assist struggling families with school fees to prevent such situations in the future.
This incident highlights the ongoing challenges in ensuring access to education for all, despite government policies designed to safeguard students’ rights.
