Chuka Girls High School in Tharaka Nithi was on Friday closed indefinitely following a protest by parents at the County Education Offices accusing the school’s principal, Joan Muchina, of serious misconduct, including alleged mistreatment of students, intimidation of parents, and mismanagement of the institution.
Parents said the learning environment had become toxic and unsafe, particularly for Form Three and Form Four students, who they claimed face excessive punishment, prolonged suspensions, and victimisation without fair disciplinary hearings.
Speaking during the protest, Joseph Mutugi, a parent, said students are allegedly placed under extreme academic pressure with limited sleeping hours.
He claimed learners found sleeping in dormitories are suspended for up to two weeks, negatively affecting students’ mental wellbeing and academic focus.
Another parent, Diana Karani, alleged that the school administration intimidates parents and discourages engagement, claiming that parents who raise concerns are removed from the school’s official WhatsApp group. She said the move effectively silences parents and denies them a platform to seek clarification on issues affecting their children.
Concerns were also raised over the school’s academic performance. Doreen Odhiambo claimed parents were not officially informed of the school’s 2025 KCSE results, which allegedly dropped from a mean score of 7.2 to 5.7. She said no official communication was issued to explain the results or outline measures to address the decline.
Parents further expressed concerns over staff instability. Alex Kipkoech alleged that frequent teacher transfers during the principal’s tenure have disrupted learning and lowered staff morale, adversely affecting students’ performance.
Among the most serious allegations was a claim that the principal assaulted a teacher, though no official documentation was presented during the demonstration.
Other grievances included alleged public humiliation of students in front of parents and learners, lack of annual general meetings (AGMs), and poor stakeholder engagement.
On administrative and financial matters, parents complained of being required to pay for a full school uniform every year and alleged discriminatory fee charges, claiming that students without arrears are charged higher fees. They also raised concerns over the sale of basic confectionary items at inflated prices, including common cakes selling at Sh20 despite parents paying for bread as part of school provisions.
Parents further questioned the alleged renaming of the school from Chuka Girls High School to Bhakita Chuka Girls without consultation with stakeholders.
Tharaka Nithi County Director of Education, Mbugua Kabaki, addressed the demonstrators and assured them that all grievances would be investigated. However, parents insisted their daughters were no longer safe at the institution.
Following consultations, the Director announced the immediate closure of Chuka Girls High School until further notice, pending investigations.
Efforts to reach the principal for comment were unsuccessful by the time of going to press.
By Dickson Mwiti and Christine Ngitori
