Parents to pay for school property destroyed during student strikes, CS Ogamba warns
Ogamba noted that the government will not fund reconstructions, stressing that all costs must be borne by parents and school administrations to prevent future disruptions
Parents will be held financially responsible for repairing and replacing school property destroyed during student strikes, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has said.
Ogamba noted that the government will not fund reconstructions, stressing that all costs must be borne by parents and school administrations to prevent future disruptions
More To Read
- Education ministry warns against exam cheating as KNEC flags Telegram leaks
- Education CS Julius Ogamba summoned by MPs over delays in school capitation funds
- High Court steps in as Litein Boys School parents protest Sh49,699 damage fee
- Parents of Litein Boys take school to court over unexplained damages fees
- Government considering closing schools implicated in fraud, ghost student enrolment – CS Ogamba
- School heads directed to crack down on indiscipline as student unrest rises
“I want to make it clear that the cost of reconstruction and purchase of materials and equipment destroyed by striking students in schools is the responsibility of parents and not the government,” Ogamba said during his visit to Litein Boys’ High School in Bureti Constituency, Kericho County, on Monday, which was extensively damaged during a strike last month.
“The government does not have a fund to coverthe destruction caused by learners during strikes. It is therefore the responsibility of school administrations and parents to prevent strikes in learning institutions. Learners should maintain high standards of discipline and embrace dialogue instead of engaging in strikes.”
He clarified that the only government support at Litein Boys’ High School will be the construction of a perimeter wall to prevent outsiders from entering and committing illegal activities.
Investigations suggest that intruders took property and foodstuffs during the strike, some of which were recovered several kilometres away after the chaos.
Ogamba urged schools to restrict unauthorised access to students to curb drug and substance abuse, which often triggers unrest.
“For you (learners) to be successful in life, you must maintain high standards of discipline, focus on your education, avoid destruction of property and embrace dialogue with the school administration,” he told the students.
The CS expressed concern over the level of destruction at Litein Boys’ High School, noting shattered windows, burnt books, desks, lockers, chairs, desktop computers, beds and buildings. The government estimates the total loss at Sh99 million, with parents responsible for Sh69 million, meaning each of the 1,400 students was initially billed Sh49,000.
However, a section of parents has contested the charges in court.
Out of 490 Form Four students, 467 have reported for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations, with oral and practical exams in German, Arabic, French, Kenya Sign Language, Home Science and Music already administered by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC).
The remaining 1,000 students are expected to resume school when the academic year begins on January 5, 2025, while the school’s board of management seeks ways to finance reconstruction within two months.
The High Court has directed parents to pay an interim Sh25,000 each, broken down into Sh10,000, Sh5,000, and Sh10,000, due by November 3, 2025, while their petition is being heard. The court suspended the earlier BoM demand of Sh49,699 per student, which had been scaled down from Sh99,962 to Sh69,578,795. The remaining Sh30 million will be covered by the board as per the agreement with the Parents Association.
Lawyers representing parents argued that the administration under Principal Kiprotich Sang had caused over 800 Form Four students to miss exam rehearsals for failing to pay and urged the Teachers Service Commission to investigate the school’s repeated unrest.
Justice Joseph Sergon directed all parties to file submissions by November 21, 2025, ahead of a final ruling.
Civil engineers, quantity surveyors and electrical engineers from the State Department of Public Works and Housing, together with officials from the Ministries of Education and Interior, were involved in valuing the destroyed property and mapping the reconstruction plan.
High incidents of strikes, particularly in the South Rift region, have led to the destruction of property worth hundreds of millions of shillings. Ogamba emphasised that the government will no longer intervene financially, and learners from affected schools will not be transferred elsewhere.
The Litein Boys’ High School case, one of the most expensive student unrest incidents in recent years, has renewed debate over school discipline, accountability and the limits of government responsibility in restoring institutions damaged by learners.
Top Stories Today
