A head-teacher has opened up on the ongoing burning of schools, predicting that the worst is yet to be seen in the eerie arson attacks.
“These children will soon burn the administrative offices where important documents such as examination certificates are kept,” the principal of a secondary school who requested not to be named says.
According to the teacher, school principals are “coiling back” because the Ministry of Education has made the rights of the child to overshadow criminality. Offenders ought to be punished and punished heavily, the tutor offers, saying there are protocols that have made punishment impossible.
“Some students should be excluded briefly,” the principal says about suspensions and even expulsion.
“We have a laissez faire environment but the head-teacher cannot do anything,” the teacher said, accusing the ministry of muzzling the teacher unions.
“What can the principals through the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA) do if the unions have been silenced?” the teacher asked.
“These challenges will continue until we punish the culprits and reduce the bureaucracy; there are tedious protocols to instill discipline in students. So, we, head-teachers have given up!”
In the running wave of school dormitory fires, tens of schools have been torched across the country, exposing the learners themselves to injuries as was witnessed at Buru Buru Girls in Nairobi where students were captured jumping from the second floor of a burning dormitory.
The attacks also come with costs to parents and guardians who have to pay for the damages. Kakamega School parents are up in arms over the Sh9,823 fine they have been asked to pay for the fire damages the board of management estimates at Sh21 million.
The parents have demanded a report of an independent reviewer to arrive at the Sh21,611,360 earmarked for rebuilding a dormitory (Sh12m), buying items for students who lost property in the fire (Sh4.5m), getting new beds (Sh4.2m) and installing a CCTV at Sh695,420.
Maranda School was set ablaze a second time in weeks on December 5 after more than 400 Form Four students were suspended on reports that they planned to burn the premier institution that a few years ago was upgraded to a national school.
According to our source, it is high time boarding schools were abolished. The teacher said the learners crave many things, including drugs, sex, good food and “freedom generally”.
The teacher opens up: “There is a lot of bhang in school. The ministry says the bhang smokers should be counselled; why are they not counselling robbers and rapists out there?”
Under day school, the learners get room to explore their cravings and return to school more relaxed. “The school fees has been reduced, limiting the number of workers. So, principals cannot make proper meals and provide comfort that would appeal to the learners.”
And all this is not burnout due to the Covid-19 tight school programme, the teacher explained: “It’s not burnout. They burned schools before corona; in the past, they blamed holiday tuition that was stopped but schools are still burning.”
The principal hit hard at the society, saying “there is indiscipline across the society; adults are burning other things.”
Principals, through KESSHA and Kuppet have said the schools were congested, making it difficult to be in charge.
Various reports by task forces and Parliament in the past have regurgitated causes of student unrest such as poor safety standards, wobbly guidance and counselling, giving learners unmerited leeway and the general rot in society. A gem of reports that costs the taxpayer millions of shillings but the haul remains unimplemented.
The fires have caused an intense debate with more calls on returning the cane to tame the unruly. Prof George Magoha (pictured), the Education Cabinet Secretary, has weighed in saying the cane helped to shape his life.
Basic Education principal secretary Julius Jwan posed a question: “How are students expected to resolve issues amicably when they see adults resorting to violence?”
In Kenya, people are harassed in the streets accused of various offences, spouses call themselves names in the presence of children, suspected thieves and witches are lynched to death in broad daylight, while teachers also differ and fight in the within the earshot of learners.
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