Job loss fears, confusion grips teachers and parents as Nakuru Elite Education Centre shuts down

An end of an era appears to be nigh for Nakuru Elite Education Centre as it embarks on winding up its operations at the section 58 premises.

A wave of uncertainty has gripped teachers and parents after they were locked out of the school premises without a clear communication from the management.

Teachers interviewed by Mtaa Wangu expressed fears of losing their jobs after the shutdown came without formal notice of the end of the school’s operations.

Gad Egesa, the school’s deputy teacher who has worked at Nakuru Elite since 2019, says staff were left in confusion after being denied access to the compound without official communication from management.

“We were never formally told that the school is closed. We are only hearing rumors’ this school is closing, then it should be communicated clearly to teachers and parents,” Egesa says.

Dominic Okello, a computer studies and science teacher who joined the school in 2023, says lack of clarity had taken a heavy toll on staff morale.

“When there is no clear communication, you are left in the dark. We are in the festive season and we have not been paid. It is quite a struggling moment for our families,” Okello says. 

In a phone interview, Nakuru County Director of Education Victoria Mulili says the Ministry of Education has not received any official communication indicating the closure of the school, noting that her office has not been formally notified of any deregistration or shutdown.

“The ministry can only act on matters that are formally presented for action,” Mulili says.

However, the school’s management has acknowledged that Nakuru Elite will no longer be able to operate. Speaking to Mtaa Wangu, one of the three school’s directors, John Wanyama, says the landlord declined to renew the lease for the premises where the institution has operated for more than a decade.

“Without a valid lease, you cannot register a school,” Wanyama states.

He explains that under new Ministry of Education guidelines, school registration is now handled at the county level. Nakuru Elite’s previous full registration has expired, and although inspections were conducted, the process could not proceed without proof of tenancy.

The uncertainty has been worsened by salary delays and disputes over statutory deductions. Teachers say they are owed months of unpaid wages and claim National Social Security Fund (NSSF) deductions were not remitted, allegations Wanyama acknowledged, attributing them to financial strain following the COVID-19 period.

"We are working on selling some assets to ensure the NSSF deductions are paid," he affirms.

Wanyama also says management is engaging another private school that has expressed willingness to absorb learners and some staff, marking a practical admission that Nakuru Elite’s is shutting its doors.

"Arrangements are underway to facilitate the transfer of about 250 pupils, including candidates who recently sat the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA), for parents who would agree to move their children to this school," he notes.

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