Parents to pay Sh3,500 each to repair razed school dormitory

Form Four students at St John Nyamagwa High School in Kisii County wait for vetting before readmission yesterday. The school was closed indefinitely after a fire incident at the school two weeks ago. [Photo: Denish Ochieng/Standard]

Nyamagwa Boys High School parents will have to pay Sh3,500 each as penalty for a dormitory razed by the students.

On Tuesday, parents received a text message requiring them to pay the penalty, clear first-term fee balances and accompany their sons to school.

The parents said they were also forced to pay a fine in 2013 when another dormitory was set ablaze yet no renovations were done.

The then Form One students are currently in Form Four and had each paid Sh2,700. About Sh3.6 million was raised from penalties paid by the 1,350 students.

James Mabeya, the principal, declined to comment on the 2013 penalties but maintained the current board had agreed that each of the 850 students currently in the school will pay Sh3,500 for renovation of the burnt dormitory.

“The fine is based on the figure we received from the Public Works office based in Nyamache sub-county. We need a total of Sh2.9 million to have the new structure. This money has been divided equally among all the parents,” he said.

Mr Mabeya was transferred to the school in May 2014, a few months after the institution had been burnt and parents had paid the fine.

“The new board is looking at the issue and soon we will be able to establish the truth on what had happened and how the money was spent,” he said.

The new board chaired by Nyabururu Parish Priest Father Lawrence Mandere was inaugurated two weeks ago. The chairman promised  the board will carry out evaluation and issue a detailed report on previous expenditures.

“We are currently carrying out investigations on what could have caused the fire. We don’t want to be involved in so many issues at the moment,” said Father Mandere.

Sameta Sub-County Education Director Timothy Odhiambo said the amount to be paid by each parent was agreed on during a board meeting and was based on estimates presented by the Public Works department.

However, Odhiambo said the board will relook at the 2013 issue.

Figure High

“We will not allow fraud in our schools particularly on the expenditure of school money,” he said.

Parents who spoke to The Standard felt the school admiration should have invited them for deliberations before deciding on the amount to be paid.

A Form Four parent, Joseph Nyabuti, said the figure was too high considering that not all students could have been involved in the arson.

“It is a costly affair considering that the affected students will have to buy everything including blankets, personal belongings and even school uniform,” said Nyabuti.

All Form Four students were expected at the school yesterday, those in Form One and Form Two will report today while Form Three students will report on Monday.

Odhiambo said after the investigation, the board came up with a list of the culprits.

“The role of the board is to suspend the students involved in the arson. We will forward the names to the county director who will expel them from school and take legal action,” said Odhiambo.

A week ago, in what appeared to be a well-calculated and co-ordinated plan, three dormitories at Nyamagwa Boys, Nduru Boys and Nyamagwa Girls were burnt down.

A dormitory at Nyamagwa Mixed Secondary School was partly burnt down but some property was salvaged.