Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has ruled out government funding for schools destroyed during student strikes, saying parents and management boards will take full responsibility for repairing damaged facilities.
During his visit to Litein Boys’ High School in Kericho County on Monday, Ogamba said the Ministry of Education would not allocate public funds to rebuild infrastructure ruined by learners, warning that parents would shoulder the cost to discourage similar unrest in future.
“The government will not use its resources to rebuild what has been destroyed by students. Parents must take full responsibility for the damage caused during strikes,” Ogamba said, addressing teachers, students, and parents at the school.
Litein Boys’ High School was among institutions hit by violent protests last month that left classrooms, dormitories, computers, and books burned. The destruction, which affected nearly all school departments, has been valued at about Sh99 million.
According to the ministry’s assessment, parents are expected to cater for Sh69 million of the total loss, while the remainder will be handled by the school board.
Ogamba said the government’s only contribution to the school will be the construction of a perimeter wall to deter intruders. Investigations have revealed that outsiders accessed the compound during the strike and looted food and other property, some of which was later recovered nearby.
He further urged schools to strengthen internal discipline and block unauthorised access to curb drug use and misconduct that often lead to riots. “Students must be disciplined, stay focused on their studies, and learn to resolve issues through dialogue rather than destruction,” he said.
The Education CS, visibly concerned by the extent of the losses, toured the wreckage and encouraged the school community to work together to restore normal learning.
Out of 490 Form Four candidates, 467 have returned to sit the ongoing Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations.
The High Court has since ordered parents to pay an interim Sh25,000 each, in three instalments, while their case against the school’s Board of Management is heard.
The court suspended an earlier directive requiring each student to pay Sh49,699, which had been reduced from an initial figure of Sh99,962 per student.
Parents, through their lawyers, have accused the administration of unfairly locking out over 800 candidates from exam rehearsals due to non-payment and called for the Teachers Service Commission to investigate recurring strikes at the school.
Justice Joseph Sergon directed that all parties file submissions by November 21, 2025, before delivering a final decision.
Technical experts from the State Department of Public Works and Housing, together with officials from the Education and Interior ministries, assessed the damage and mapped out a reconstruction plan.
Ogamba said similar cases across the South Rift have resulted in losses worth hundreds of millions of shillings, stressing that the government will no longer intervene financially.
He warned that students involved in school destruction would not be transferred elsewhere, adding that discipline and accountability must be upheld in all institutions.
The Litein Boys’ incident, one of the most destructive in recent years, has reignited national debate over who should pay when schools are damaged during student unrest.
