Students of Olkejuado High School who scored D+ and below in last term’s exams will not resume school as it re-opens for the second term this week for not meeting the pass mark.
More than 400 students who attained a D+ and below from Form One to Form Four were given seven conditions to fulfill to be accepted back in letters sent to their parents by the School’s Principal, James Passiany.
In the letters, copies of which were seen by KNA, Principal Passiany says in part, “following your son’s dismal
performance in last term’s (Term 1, 2019) examination you are required to accompany him to school on May 4 at 9 am.”
“We will require a handwritten application for re-admission, stating why you should be considered. Clear any outstanding fees balances including that of the second term and you must meet all admission requirements,” said Passiany in the letter.
Other conditions given to the students included clearing of all surcharges, for example lost textbooks, broken laboratory apparatus, have all other learning materials and a signed commitment form upon and if considered for re-admission.
Passiany on Tuesday confirmed he issued the letters to the parents, but after discussing with them earlier when the results came out last term.
“This was a decision made between teachers, parents and students that those in Form Four must strive to eliminate D, while those in Form Three should get rid of D+,” said Passiany.
He went on, “this is a reality because anyone scoring a D+ will not go to any sensible college after school. This is not
an ambush on the parents because we had informed them and they had endorsed the idea.”
However some parents who spoke to KNA insisted that there has never been any prior communication from the school until recently when they received the letters.
One parent, who did not want to be named, claimed the conditions given by the principal are designed to lock out their children from the school.
“How can he say we have to apply for re-admission and yet our children qualified for admission to join the school?” the parent wondered.
But Passiany said it was true all the students admitted at the school had 300 points and above on admission, adding that he will not be cowed by those making “noises”.
“How can you score over 300 marks and score a D- in secondary school? It means there must be something wrong happening with the student. We managed to eliminate D- scores in last year’s Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, and this year we want to make sure that the least grade will be C,” he said, denying claims that he had expelled the students.
“How can I expel and tell them again to come with fees. If it was a very serious issue, we should have involved the school board,” he added.
“When we talk of readmission we want them to make a commitment like what is it that you can do to improve your
performance, we allowed them to go home with their items to make it easy for us to check those who do not have requisite items in school,” he said.
Other aggrieved parents who spoke alleged that the school has been extorting money from parents illegally.
They said Form Four students are forced to pay Sh.4, 500 every year to teachers as “motivation fee” and that they are also forced to pay Sh.10, 000 for construction of a dormitory.
The principal denied the allegation that parents pay “motivation fee” and instead said they were only required to pay Sh.5, 000 each for the construction of the school’s dormitory.
On the windowpane issue, he confirmed parents contributed Sh.200 each.
By Rop Janet
