Brookhouse School fees fiasco turns ugly
Brookhouse School is now accusing parents of interfering with their programmes and wants the court to set aside an order that slashed fees for online classes by half.
The back and forth between parents and the international school over school fees discounts took a new twist on Saturday after a section of parents reaffirmed their plans to distance themselves from the Brookhouse Parents Association (BPA) which secured an injunction ordering the school to lower fees by half pending the hearing and determination of the matter.
In a press statement which came hot in the heels of revelations that the school had refused to lower school fees demands, the institution expressed regret at how details of a meeting meant to iron out the kinks between the institution and BPA had been leaked on social media dealing a blow to any hopes of the two parties reaching an amicable agreement.
Brookhouse maintains that the leak compromised the integrity of the negotiations saying that the issue was blown out of proportion as the school “had not developed a hardline stance” as was couched in the leaked minutes.
The school wants the court to lift an order that stopped it from offering online lessons for kindergarten children, arguing it is affecting parents willing to pay full fees and have their children taught online.
Through lawyer Aisha Abdalla, the school claimed that a section of parents who challenged the online classes lied in court that they were charging exorbitant fees when the management had already put in place measures to cushion the parents over coronavirus pandemic.
SLASHED FEES
“There were several consultative sessions between the parents and the school in an effort to address the disruption brought about by Covid-19 and a number of measures taken which were not brought to the court’s attention,” said Ms Abdalla.
According to the lawyer, the school had already agreed to give up to 30 per cent discount on tuition fees, waived all fees for boarding and transport and allowed parents to pay fees in installments.
Additionally, she said the school established a hardship fund to support parents affected by Covid-19 and unable to pay the discounted fees.
The school, which offers British curriculum, charges tuition fees of between Sh300,000 for kindergarten to Sh2.3 million for Grade 12 students each term.
Justice Weldon Korir on April 30 ordered the school to slash fees by 50 per cent and stopped online classes for kindergarten and lower primary learners following a petition by some parents claiming that it was unreasonable to charge the fees when the schools were closed because of Covid-19.