Hopes for establishing a university in Nandi County have been delayed after the High Court blocked plans to convert Aldai Boys’ High School and Ressio Primary School into a university campus.
The court granted a petition filed by parents and local residents, issuing an order under a certificate of urgency to stop the Ministry of Education from relocating the institutions. The directive had instructed the schools’ management to close the learning institutions to pave the way for the proposed university.
The Ministry had identified Serem Boys’ and Kemeloi Boys as temporary schools to accommodate the displaced learners while the conversion took place. However, Justice J. Chigiti of Milimani High Court in Nairobi warned that any attempt to disobey or circumvent the court order would attract penalties. The ruling explicitly barred officials from implementing the relocation or interfering in the management of Aldai Boys’ High School and Ressio Primary School.
The proposal to convert the schools into a university had gained attention during a visit by the President to Nandi County, when residents requested that the institution be located in Kobujoi, the constituency headquarters. Plans were in place for Kaimosi Friends University to take over the facilities and repurpose them as lecture halls starting next year.
One of the petitioners, a parent, argued that the schools had benefited from years of investment by the community, and relocating the learners would negatively affect their academic performance. The parent emphasized that the legal action was taken to safeguard the rights of the students, clarifying that the opposition to relocation does not imply resistance to development in the area.
Critics of the relocation accused political leaders of advancing the project without adequately considering the views of education stakeholders, despite a series of public participation and consultation meetings organized by the Ministry of Education.
Some community members welcomed the proposed university, noting its potential to boost local economic development. A businesswoman in Kobujoi highlighted that the university could provide a ready market for local goods and spur improvements in infrastructure, including road networks. She also pointed out that Nandi County has a sufficient number of primary and secondary schools, making the area suitable for a higher learning institution.
The court ruling ensures that Aldai Boys’ High School and Ressio Primary School will continue normal operations, at least until further legal or administrative decisions are made.
