Confusion after secondary school is closed with two weeks to reopening

The fate of over 200 students hangs in the balance after a secondary school was closed down due to a financial crisis.

Students and parents of Oserian High School in Naivasha now have only days to look for an alternative after the management of the Oserian Flower Farm threw in the towel two weeks before reopening.

The farm representative, George Ruken, said harsh economic times and parents' failure to pay school fees had made the closure inevitable.

"We have faced harsh economic times due to the many taxes, but we shall assist the students in getting the transfer forms to other schools," he said.

Olkaria MCA Peter Pallang'a termed the closure a major blow to the parents who would be forced to spend more money for their children to continue learning.

Pallang'a took issue with the Ministry of Education for failing to intervene, adding that there was no other secondary school in the area that is home to tens of flower farms.

"This will be one of the darkest festive seasons for tens of parents and students after the school was closed without any notice, and its time we met and planned the way forward," he said.

The MCA expressed his concern over the low wages the flower farm workers were getting, saying it further complicated the plans for students transferring to another school.

One of the parents, Esther Akinyi, whose son will be joining Form Four next year, told of their shock on learning that the school had been closed without prior warning.

"There were rumours over the pending closure, but the management denied this, and what we are getting is another different story," she said.

This was echoed by another parent, Kennedy Were, who said that with two weeks to go, they did not know the fate of their students.

A student, Faith Kwamboka, said their parents were poorly paid and could not afford to take them to other schools, a move that could lock them out of the national examinations.