Written by Lisa Murimi
Kenyans were left shocked on Tuesday night after students from St. Anne’s Girls Secondary School, Jogoo Road, Nairobi, were forced to spend part of the night outside the school compound due to unpaid fees.
The incident unfolded despite a directive from the Ministry of Education prohibiting schools from sending students home over fee arrears.
A video shared online showed distraught students camping outside the school gate, some of whom had been sent away as early as 10 a.m.
“I was sent away because I had only paid half the required fees,” one student from Kisii lamented, describing the ordeal of spending hours in the cold.
The standoff ended after Makadara MP George Aladwa intervened, dispatching a team to resolve the issue.
“I instructed the school management to grant access to the students, and I’m pleased to confirm that they are now safely inside the school,” Aladwa said.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos had not addressed the matter by press time, and efforts to reach the school were unsuccessful.
The incident has sparked widespread criticism, with calls for accountability and questions about the enforcement of government policies protecting students from such mistreatment.
The Ministry of Education and Teachers Service Commission are expected to investigate and take action.
