The Standard Group Plc is a multi-media organization with investments in media
platforms spanning newspaper print
operations, television, radio broadcasting, digital and online services. The
Standard Group is recognized as a
leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key influence in matters of national and
international interest.
The Ministry of Education has been petitioned to stop Egerton University from fining its students Sh16,862 for property destroyed during a strike on December 4.
Kenya Parents Association says it is not clear how the university arrived at the figure, which will see the university raise over Sh200 million if each of the 13,700 students is surcharged.
KPA, through its chairperson Nicholas Maiyo, asked the Ministry of Education to intervene, saying it was unfair to surcharge students and parents such a high amount.
“There is hue and cry from parents of Egerton University over the impunity which the university has used to surcharge the students Sh16,832 for the strike that happened recently,” stated Maiyo in a letter dated December 22.
Mr Maiyo said the university must give a breakdown and valuation to justify the payment.
The chairperson claims it is in public domain that the university was in a financial crisis and asked whether it was planning to use the punitive fees to offset some of its debts.
“We are aware that the university’s financial situation is in the red. Is the university using the damages fee to pay the Sh856 million owed to KRA in taxes,” Maiyo asked.
“We demand that the payment of the damages be stopped forthwith until a proper justification is given,” he stated in the letter.
The university, in an advertisement placed in the dailies last week, said the surcharge will be used towards the repair, replacement, and restoration of damaged property at the institution.
More than 13,700 students at Egerton’s main campus in Njoro except those with disability are required to pay the fine. The university said the surcharge must be paid not later than January 8, 2020.
As a move to ensure every student pays the amount, each student will be required to register and clear their fees and ensure they present exam cards to their respective chair of departments.
Those who will fail to register on reporting will be exempted from sitting their end of semester examinations and deferred to the next academic year.
However, students have cited malice by the university administration for surcharging them a lot of money.
