At Pemwai Girls High School in Baringo County, a wave of frustration is growing among parents who say their daughters are being mistreated over school fee issues.
Behind the school gates, what should be a place of learning and encouragement has, according to multiple reports, become a source of fear and humiliation.
The conduct of a senior teacher, identified as Ms. Scolastica Biego, is at the centre of these concerns, with parents accusing her of being rude, insensitive, and dismissive even in situations where students are clearly struggling.
While many families are doing their best to support their children through education, they say the school’s administration is making that task harder instead of offering support.
Learners have allegedly been sent home over very small fee balances some so minor they don’t even cover the cost of travel back home.
In several cases, students have been denied entry at the school gate, even after returning in an effort to settle their fees.
The most painful stories are of those who were prevented from sitting their exams due to these balances, effectively cutting them off from progressing in their education.
These complaints aren’t just whispered in private anymore.
One parent wrote to Cyprian Is Nyakundi a detailed account that paints a worrying picture of what’s happening inside the school.
Here is their full statement, word for word:
“Kindly hide my identity. I am writing to you as a concerned parent of a student at Pemwai Girls’ High School to raise an issue that urgently needs public attention. There is a senior teacher at the school, Ms. Scolastica Biego, whose conduct towards students and parents has become deeply troubling. She has consistently displayed rude, arrogant, and insensitive behavior, even when dealing with genuine concerns from parents and students.
Many students have been sent home for very small fee balances, with cases as extreme as KSh 9. Worse still, some students have been sent back multiple times from the school gate, despite their efforts to return and settle their balances.
What is even more heartbreaking is that some students are currently still at home, having been denied the opportunity to sit for their exams simply because of fee issues.
This is not only unfair it is a violation of their right to education. We parents are not refusing to pay school fees. We are only asking for understanding and humane treatment as we try our best under tough economic conditions. It is painful to watch our daughters suffer humiliation at the gate or be denied exams, while some school staff treat us with disrespect when we try to raise our concerns. Ms. Biego, being a senior teacher, should be leading with empathy and professionalismnbut instead, she has become a source of fear and discouragement. We are pleading for your help in highlighting this situation to the public and relevant authorities so that action can be taken. Our children deserve better. A Concerned Parent Pemwai Girls’ High School.”
This plea is not just a complaint it is a reflection of the distress many families are going through. The pattern of behavior described raises serious questions about the school’s values and priorities.
Education should never be denied over issues that could be handled with dialogue and understanding. When teachers in leadership positions show no empathy, they end up hurting the very students they are meant to support.
It is now up to the relevant authorities to step in and investigate the conduct of the school leadership, especially Ms. Biego, and ensure that no child is denied their right to learn simply because of a few shillings.
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