Court orders Brookhouse to cut school fees by half

The High Court has ordered Brookhouse School to reduce fees by half following a petition by parents

Justice Weldon Korir also stopped online classes for kindergarten and lower primary learners pending the determination of the petition.

The parents moved to court on Wednesday, accusing the management of reducing the fees by a paltry 10 per cent, yet the schools are closed because of Covid-19.

Justice Korir directed the school’s board to file its response by May 5, for the hearing on May 13.

In court documents, the parents using the initials BPA, termed the school’s “paltry” discount as unlawful.

They also asked the court not to disclose their names to protect the rights of their children.

Through lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi, they are demanding a discount of at least 30 per cent as well as rebates for meals, transport and extra-curricular activities.

OTHER ARGUMENTS

In their push for higher discounts, the parents reckon that overheads have reduced and that some costs of managing the email-based or online classes have been transferred to them.

They argue that they now have to feed their children at home and pay internet costs for the online classes, among others.

They say they have to print teaching materials, teach the students and supervise the online learning, scan the home work and send to the individual teachers, buy learning and teaching materials and pay for internet services.

“A conservatory order be issued staying the implementation of payment of full fees … and in lieu they be allowed to offset up to 30 per cent of school fees pro forma,” a petition filed by Mr Abdullahi reads.

The parents say the school erred by failing to consult them, denying them information they needed to make decisions on their children’s learning.