Student commits suicide over fees

By Kepher Otieno

A student has committed suicide allegedly after he was sent home over school fees.

But Ministry of Education officials differed with police over the death of Lameck Kiunge, 20, saying he had no fees arrears at the time of his death.

Nyanza PPO Anthony Kibuchi told The Standard that the Mbita High School student killed himself on Thursday night because of fees problem.

The deceased, an orphan, was found hanging from a tree at his grandmother’s homestead in Kaksingri village, Suba District.

Mr Kibuchi said the student was sent home for fees but got worked up when his foster parents could not raise it.

disputed report

District Education Officer John Ololotwa and the school principal Tom Odhiambo disputed the police report saying Kiunge had paid fees for the whole year and was not chased from school as reported by police.

"Our records show that the boy has no outstanding school fees arrears. What the police are saying is a total surprise," said Odhiambo.

Odhiambo said the student was sponsored by a local NGO which had paid the Sh23,727 fees.

The principal said Kiunge sought permission to go home after he fell sick but overstayed, forcing them to contact his sister.

She brought him back but he was said to have seemed unhappy.

"He engaged the sister in a quarrel and we sent him back home for counselling before he resumes learning," the head teacher said.

He said that in April, the deceased attended students’ leaders conference on national cohesion at the Bomas of Kenya.

"The boy was elected the Western Students’ Peace Representative. This was good news to us and the western students fraternity," he said.