The Makueni County Director of Education (CDE), Lydia Mutegi, wants school principals to let students proceed home if need arises to avert wanton destruction of property.
The calls come in the wake of 10 reported cases of school unrest in the county, including that of Kaumoni Boys High School, where rowdy students set ablaze several buildings, including the school’s administration block, examination office, and kitchen.
Consequently, Mutegi reminded the principals to be on high alert, especially when students write letters wanting to go home, saying they should be allowed to leave, in order to diffuse the tension they could be undergoing due to the fire incidences that have occurred elsewhere in the country.
“If the boys and girls want to go home, just release them to go; do not keep them in school,” said the director while addressing principals and heads of institutions during a Green Energy Promotion and Clean Cooking Advocacy Forum held at Konza Technopolis in Mukaa Sub-county.
She disclosed that so far 30 out of 399 schools in the area had released students to go home over the rising tensions, while 10 institutions had experienced fire incidents.
The director, therefore, called for 24/7 surveillance across boarding schools, with a view to detecting any incidences where students may sneak out wanting to do some destruction on school property.
“Remember the circular on boarding section detailing that there must always be an adult to man the institutions, so that any student sneaking out either during the day, or at night with a view to causing mayhem can easily be identified,” she said.
At the same time, Mutegi urged the principals to be proactive in addressing the students’ grievances through an open communication system so that any emerging issues are dealt with quickly and amicably.
“You must be vigilant and listen to the students. The world is changing, and some of the accusations that you are ignoring could trigger some unwarranted reactions. Kindly have a Kamukunji with them and listen to what they are saying,” she reiterated.
Speaking at the same event, the Makueni County Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA) Chairperson Dr. Johnson Ndivo called on members of the clergy to pray for schools, especially during this difficult period being witnessed in some of the institutions.
“It is very stressful to wake up and find students demanding to go home. We are living in very interesting times, when some unruly students want to destroy what the society has put in place over many years,” lamented Dr. Ndivo.
The Teachers Service Commission County Director, John Paul Wepoghe, also addressed the forum.
By Patrick Nyakundi
