The parents of grade 10 students at Ambira Boys High School have moved to court to challenge Sh 33,000 demanded from each student to pay for damages after students’ unrest.
The 165 parents want the court to declare that the decision by the school to demand the said money from the grade 10 students is illegal, null and void.
The parents also want the court to declare that the decision by the school to deny to deny the students entry before the said money is paid is illegal, null and void.
Through Ndiema & Co. Advocates, the petitioners claim that on or about 18th or 19th May 2026, there was a student strike at the school which occasioned severe damage to school and student property resulting to the school being closed indefinitely.
In a parents’ meeting with the school on 21st May 2026, the principal told the parents that the student strike was undertaken by the Form 4 students who had grievances with the school administration including but not limited to suspension of the school captain and a demand to be given a leakage to the Kenya National examination Council (KCSE) examination, which demands the school was unable to satisfy.
According to the parents, during the aforesaid meeting, the principal assured them that their children, that is Grade 10 students, will not be affected by any punitive measures issued by the school as a result of the damage to property since the only players in the strike were Form 4 students.
“The 1st respondent (Principal) further gave a personal commitment that parents of Grade 10 student, the petitioners herein, will not bear any costs towards the repair of the damaged school property for the reasons aforesaid,” the lawyer said.
However, in a shocking turn of events and in blatant reversal of the principal’s earlier commitment in the meeting held on 21st May 2026, the parents through a letter dated 30th May 2026 informed them that grade 10 students were to report on 2nd June 2026 without fail.
The letter also stated that an assessment report from public works indicated that the total sum of the damages caused by the strike amounted to Sh 50,000,000 which amounted to Sh 33,000 per student, including grade 10 students.
For the above reasons, the grade 10 children have been denied entry to school in order to access education in contravention of Articles 43(f) and 53(1)(b) of the Constitution of Kenya.
The parents argue that their children’s right to fair administrative action has been grossly violated by the school’s demand that each students pays a global sum of Sh 33,000 without granting the students a right to be heard as is guaranteed under Article 50 of the Constitution of Kenya.
Other respondents in the case are Ambira High School Board of Management, Permanent Secretary-Basic Education and the Teachers Service Commission.