Parents at Kangai Primary School in Mwea on Monday, January 26, took drastic action, forcibly removing the institution’s headteacher from the compound amid growing tensions over unauthorised fee increases.
According to reports, the dramatic confrontation stemmed from what parents described as a pattern of imposing financial demands without proper consultation or meetings with the school community.
“As parents, we are very angry with the current headteacher. The government said that education is free, but they keep asking us to contribute more money,” one parent lamented during the protest.
The parent explained that recent demands had become increasingly burdensome for families.
“Like now, they asked each parent to contribute 3,000 shillings for desks. This was all parents with children proceeding to grade seven,” she said.
She further accused the headteacher of continuously introducing new expenses without engaging parents.
“This headteacher keeps adding expenses without informing us or even holding a meeting. Now they want us to contribute 800 shillings for remedial classes,” she stated.
Another parent echoed similar frustrations, highlighting additional charges that contradicted government policy on free primary education.
“We are here because the school keeps asking for money. Now they want 900 shillings for tuition. They say it’s for the teacher, and we are asking why, because the teacher has their salary,” the parent questioned.
The parents made their intentions clear regarding the headteacher’s future at the institution.
“We don’t want him in this school. Before we leave this compound today, we leave with him. And if he comes back, tomorrow we come in again and evict him,” the parent declared defiantly.
The incident at Kangai Primary School in Kirinyaga County highlights ongoing tensions between school administrations and parents over fee structures, despite government assurances of adequate funding for basic education.
The confrontation comes just days after President William Ruto issued strong directives against schools imposing unauthorised fees on parents.
Speaking on January 23, the President emphasised that no student should be denied access to education, pointing to substantial government investment in educational infrastructure and resources.
Ruto revealed that his administration had allocated the highest-ever capitation amount of 44 billion shillings to schools, and for the first time, these funds were disbursed before students reported for classes.
The Head of State also addressed what he termed corruption in the school uniform sector, where some institutions charge excessive fees that create barriers to education access. He cited cases where schools demand as much as 38,000 shillings for uniforms.
In response, President Ruto issued a directive prohibiting schools from denying students classroom access due to lack of uniforms. He instructed that pupils could even transition from primary to secondary school in their junior school uniforms while parents organised themselves financially.
