Parents in the South Rift are reeling from the financial shockwaves of violent student unrest that has destroyed learning facilities worth millions of shillings. With schools like Litein Boys and Koiwa Boys badly damaged, reconstruction costs are expected to be passed on to struggling households.
Litein Boys, the epicenter of the chaos, saw its classrooms, dormitories, and dining hall reduced to rubble. Principal Richard Sang confirmed that evaluations by engineers and education officers are ongoing, but warned parents to disregard speculative figures circulating online.
For families already grappling with the high cost of living, the news of impending levies has sparked outrage. “We have not even finished paying school fees, yet we are being asked to prepare for reconstruction costs,” lamented Peter Keter, a parent.
Community leaders, too, have voiced concern. Former minister Franklin Bett revealed that parts of the school’s destroyed dining hall had cost Sh18 million to build under the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF). He warned that the reconstruction bill will be astronomical.
In Bomet’s Koiwa Boys, preliminary estimates peg damage at Sh3 million. Parents, however, have not yet been billed. Meanwhile, Tengecha Boys’ students engaged in violent clashes with villagers while attempting to torch their school, raising further alarm.
Many parents argue that the government should take responsibility for damages, given that security officers failed to prevent the destruction despite prior warnings. “This is the third strike in two years. How much longer will parents keep paying?” asked one frustrated guardian.
The crisis has reignited debate on parental responsibility versus state accountability. While education officials stress the role of parents in instilling discipline, families insist they cannot continue shouldering the financial burden of repeated unrest.
