Parents Question Sh1.25 Million Class Party Contribution at St Brigid’s Kiminini Ahead of KCSE

Parents of Form Four students at St Brigid’s Girls High School Kiminini have raised questions over a series of activities planned for candidates next week, with the parents questioning why the school would organise costly parties and related activities less than a month before the 2026 KCSE examinations.

St Brigid’s Kiminini is a public national girls’ school in Trans Nzoia County and is listed among Kenya’s national schools under the KNEC classification. The school has also built a strong academic reputation over the years, with its own website describing it as a high performing institution with more than 90 percent of candidates gaining direct university entry.

The concerns now coming from parents centre on money being requested for activities that, according to one parent, were never discussed or approved during the school’s AGM or other agreed parent engagements.

The parent says that instead of the administration sending an official communication directly to parents, Form Four students are being asked to write handwritten notes listing the required contributions, which teachers then forward to parents through WhatsApp.

The parent says the approach has raised concerns because it allows the administration to distance itself from the requests if questions are later raised about the money, with the student becoming the person through whom the contribution is communicated.

According to the complaint, parents who fail to respond are later contacted by their daughters using borrowed phones and reminded to send the money.

The amounts being requested, are as follows:

Class party: KSh4,000

Class T-shirt: KSh800

Home Science party: KSh1,200

Physics: KSh1,300

The parent says the KSh4,000 class party contribution is particularly difficult to understand considering that the school has about 313 Form Four candidates sitting for KCSE. At that figure, the contribution would amount to approximately KSh1.252 million if every candidate paid the full amount for what is described as a one-day class party.

The complaint questions what exactly a Form Four boarding student is expected to consume or receive at a single event to justify a KSh4,000 contribution, particularly at a time when students should be concentrating on their final preparations for the national examination.

Hello Cyprian, I need you to highlight something.

St Brigids Kiminini is a National school, among the best in Kenya.

Apparently, they are planning a series of parties for form 4 children next week, just before students sit for KCSE exams which start in less than a month.

Now, to cleverly solicit for funds from parents, they make our daughers to write small notes detailing the requred contributions for the activities by hand on a piece of paper. The teachers then sends the same via WhatsApp to the parents and after a few days if you don't respond your daughter calls via borrowed phone to ask for the same.

All this they do to beat the system, so that when questions are asked they will say they didn't send the list or request. A few parents who work with the administration in sharing the funds will then attack anyone who tries to raise questions and label them inciters. I attended the agm and have participated in other agreed events, these items for class party has never been discussed or agreed upon.

Here is the breakdown of money required:

Class party - 4000 sh Class tshirt - 800 Home Science Party - 1200 Physics - 1300

Take one item of the class party, with a population of 313 students sitting KCSE, the school will raise 1.25million shillings just for a one day party!

Well I understand that there maybe other logistics involved but how can a F4 student in boarding school consume 4k at a sitting?

And what is the need for doing a party before exams start? How does it add to the academic performance or journey of the students?

Why should children be involved in soliciting funds from parents which are outside the Ministry approved levies? Isn't this guilt tripping parents so that they comply subtly?

Well I raised the same in our class whatsapp group and some parents started defending the administration, one said that it's just a one day event let us support. Another feigned not having gotten same communication from ther child. When I insisted on the topic and asked how a child can consume 4k in school in one sitting I was removed from the group by the class teacher.

The question is does the ministry of education approve of such activities in school just before KCSE exams, and is the cost listed justified?

Shockingly enough, a list of school fees balances is being circulated officially in the same group, parents being asked to clear fee balances, as there are some students who have not cleared their fees.

The school principal retired in mid August and handed over to the deputy who is acting before the ministry sends her replacement. Could the acting principal be taking advantage so as to raise money illegally from parents without leaving any trail?

The complaint comes at a time when the school is preparing its Form Four candidates for the 2026 KCSE examination. According to the official KNEC timetable, the examination programme begins with a rehearsal day on October 16, followed by oral and practical papers from October 19, with written papers beginning later in the examination schedule.

Who approved the KSh4,000 class party contribution, where will the estimated KSh1.25 million go, and why are students being used to communicate and collect money from parents instead of the school issuing a formal and accountable communication?