Police intervene as St Anne's Girls School locks out students over unpaid fees
The move came despite clear guidelines from the Ministry of Education, which had instructed principals not to send students home due to fee arrears.
The National Police Service had to intervene after the principal of St Anne's Girls Secondary School, located along Jogoo Road in Nairobi locked out students over fees arrears.
On Tuesday night, Kenyans were left in shock after a group of students from St. Anne's Girls Secondary School, located along Jogoo Road in Nairobi, were forced to spend a part of the night outside in the cold.
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NPS spokesperson Resila Onyango confirmed on Wednesday that officers from Jogoo Police Station in Buruburu also responded to the situation and verified that the students had been allowed back into the school.
The incident by the school's administration came despite clear guidelines from the Ministry of Education, which had instructed principals not to send students home due to fee arrears.
These directives were meant to ensure that no student's education would be interrupted because of financial issues.
According to videos and photos seen by The Eastlegh Voice, the students were left to camp outside the school gate. Some of the students had been sent away as early as 10 am, even though many had made partial payments.
St. Anne’s Girls Secondary School Makadara students were left stranded outside the gates on Tuesday night sparking public outrage.
— The Eastleigh Voice (@Eastleighvoice) January 8, 2025
The students claimed they were locked out due to unpaid fees, with some waiting since morning despite them having travelled from long distances,… pic.twitter.com/1iFeXBnqmx
Those who had travelled long distances to get to the school were left with no choice but to wait outside, hoping they would be allowed back in. As night fell, their hope began to fade.
"I was sent away because I had just paid half the amount that was required for fees. There was nothing that I could do. I come from Kisii," one student explained, detailing the distressing treatment they faced.
The situation was finally resolved after the intervention of Makadara Member of Parliament George Aladwa.
After learning about the standoff, Aladwa took swift action, sending a team to the school to assess the situation.
"Following reports that some students at St. Anne's Girls Secondary School were left stranded outside the premises, I immediately dispatched my team to assess the situation. 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," Aladwa said.
