Makueni County Commissioner (CC) Khalif Abdullahi has pledged to call for a stakeholders meeting next week to discuss the rampant increase of cases of school unrest, with a view to curbing the worrying trend in the area.
Abdullahi noted that it was imperative for the local education sector players to come together and find a lasting solution to the emerging issues that are negatively impacting learning in the county.
At the same time, the CC emphasized the need for principals of various schools in the area to ensure the recommended safety guidelines are adhered to, aimed at reducing destruction of school infrastructure as witnessed recently.
“There are guidelines given by the Ministry of Education. We want collaboration between the relevant stakeholders, including education officers and the security agencies, to address the emerging cases of unrest in our schools,” said Abdullahi after reading the President’s speech during Madaraka Celebrations held at Ngwiwa Comprehensive School in Makindu Subcounty on Monday.
“So, I will call a meeting of all education stakeholders in the county as early as next week. We want to ensure that the safety guidelines are adhered to in all schools. This is because education is the only equalizer in society,” he added.
The pledge comes at a time when we have had five schools affected by the menace, including Kaumoni Boys High and Kyamuthei Boys in Makueni Sub County, Kalama and Kavuthu secondary schools in Nzaui Sub County, and Nguumo Boys Secondary in Makindu Sub County.
While saying in Kyamuthei, the boys attempted to burn a dormitory; the CC said in Kaumoni there was destruction of the administration block and classrooms, while in Nguumo, Kavuthu, and Kalama, they burned dormitories in each of the institutions.
The CC further disclosed that many children were involved in this unrest due to fear of doing exams, besides the principals being hard on them by denying them the opportunity to cheat in exams within their respective schools.
“I warn the students involved in this kind of indiscipline that stern measures would be taken against you. Why are you destroying the very infrastructure that your own parents labored to set up?” he posed.
On human/wildlife conflict, Abdullahi expressed concern over the recent three deaths due to crocodile attacks and elephants, saying the government will deal with the matter expeditiously to ensure the victims are compensated accordingly.
However, he revealed that the County Wildlife Compensation Committee has so far approved 701 cases, which include loss of lives, injuries, and destruction of properties, which will be compensated soon.
In another development, the CC decried the rising cases of insecurity along the major Mombasa-Nairobi highway, where a syndicate of cartels is operating to loot goods on transit.
However, Abdullahi said the government has since taken measures to arrest culprits involved in the highway robbery that was impacting negatively the key economic corridor in the country.
“We have an organized criminal syndicate operating along the Mombasa-Nairobi highway, which continues to pose a security threat. They target transit goods destined for Uganda, and they specifically take advantage whenever accidents occur,” said Abdullahi.
“However, our security agencies have increased patrols, and we have arrested some of the culprits,” he said.
Speaking in the same event, Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. said that he was saddened by the tragic deaths of 16 girls at the Utumishi Academy, saying it was important for the government to ensure the safety of our children in all schools across the country.
“This tragedy reminds me of our solemn duty to ensure every learning institution is a place of absolute safety and care. As a nation, we must never allow such a loss to recur. These girls were full of promise, but their dreams and hopes for tomorrow have painfully been cut short,” lamented Mutula.
On her part, the Makueni County Woman Representative, Rose Museo, said that the government should have a clear policy to protect schools and avoid reckless destruction of infrastructure.
By Patrick Nyakundi
