There is public outrage after tens of students of St. Ann’s girls secondary school along jogoo road in Makadara, Nairobi county were locked out of the school gate, allegedly at the orders of school principal, at night on Monday, January 6, 2024 for late arrival on opening day and failure to pay full term school fees.
Photos and videos of the distraught girls were shared on social media as late at 10:00 pm sparking online outrage from concerned Kenyans who took issue with the principal’s decision that posed untold dangers for the minors some of who had travelled long distances like. Mombasa, Kisii, Kisumu and other places to report back to school.
The situation drew the attention of area Member of Parliament George Aladwa who intervened instructing the school administration to admit the students to school immediately as parents had been thrown into confusion over the situation of the students who had reported to school for the opening of the first school term.
Kenyans minced no words in criticizing the unfortunate turn of events lamenting that the principal is notorious at throwing out students at odd hours. The principal is also said to have mastered a habit of inflating fees balances and arrears especially for students who have just cleared their course awaiting KCSE exam results.
MP Aladwa, who liaised with Jogoo road police station OCS to bring the situation to order wrote; “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.”
Gender and Sexual based NGO Usikimye executive director Njeri wa Migwi in a long post wrote; “At 10pm, girls from Saint Ann’s Secondary School in Makadara were sent home because their school fees were partially paid , some came from as far as Kisii, Mombasa , Kisumu and so on.
They were preparing to sleep outside. Do you understand what could have happened??? God forbid they were kidnapped , raped or murdered??? What would it have cost the principal to call parents and let the girls sleep and they leave in the mornings?,” Njeri lamented.
“Anyway we’ve called everyone concerned and the area MP has shown up. They’ve opened the schools and allowed the girls to sleep. This country is exhausting,” she said.
Media and Communication strategist Kenn Okaka, who is also a resident of Makadara and well aware of complaints that have over time been raised over the school’s administration added his voice calling out the administration.
“St. Anne’s Girls Secondary School in Makadara has a disturbing pattern of locking its students out of school at night, a practice that has occurred repeatedly despite parental complaints. The principal’s arrogance behavioral tendency is very questionable, and how she obtained the position to lead this school is even baffling.
The school’s administrative incompetence is concerning. Fails at basic things as maintaining accurate records, always dismissing students—even those without outstanding fees and mostly at odd hours—and has a notorious habit of fabricating arrears, particularly for graduating students.
This either gross incompetence from the school bursar or a deliberate scheme to defraud parents.
Most former parents of this school will warn you against enrolling your child at this school, primarily for the above reasons,” Okaka fumed.
Hundreds of Kenyans online called out the incident asking the ministry of education and the Catholic church which runs the school to take disciplinary measures on the rogue teacher.
