Principals Advised Against Keeping Students on Campus Due to Unrest

Secondary school principals in Makueni County have been cautioned against keeping students on campus amid growing unrest, according to Justus Kimeu, the Executive Secretary of the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) for the region.

The warning comes in the wake of recent incidents where student unrest has led to the destruction of dormitories at Ngoto Boys, AIC Nyayo Girls, and Makindu Girls secondary schools. This unrest highlights the volatile situation in schools as students face disruptions in their education.

Kimeu emphasized the challenge of maintaining students in schools when they are not receiving instruction, as teachers across the county are observing a strike in response to unmet demands from the government. The union had previously warned that schools should not reopen while teachers were on strike, predicting such turmoil would ensue.

The situation has been exacerbated by the financial burden placed on parents, who are now required to cover additional transportation costs to send their children back home. Kimeu asserted that the government should be responsible for covering the costs associated with rebuilding the damaged dormitories, which were set ablaze during the recent unrest.

“We had cautioned the government against reopening schools without addressing the issues at hand, given the ongoing strike,” Kimeu stated during a press briefing at his office in Wote. “The current scenario has resulted in unnecessary expenses for parents, who are now forced to deal with the fallout from the strikes.”

A recent survey by the Kenya News Agency (KNA) revealed that several schools, including Makueni Boys, Mwaani Girls, Mwaani Boys, Ukia Girls, Kambi Mawe Boys, Kambi Mawe Girls, Kasikeu Boys, Makueni Girls, and Kyamuthei Secondary schools, have been forced to close indefinitely due to the unrest.

Despite the regrettable closure of these schools, Kimeu expressed concern about the impact on students who are approaching their examination period. He urged that these closures and disruptions are particularly troubling given that exams are scheduled to take place within the next two months. Nonetheless, Kimeu assured that teachers are prepared to return to their duties once the government addresses their demands.

The teachers’ demands include converting all contract-based teaching positions to permanent and pensionable roles, implementing the 2021-2025 collective bargaining agreement, and addressing issues related to teacher promotions. These demands have been central to the ongoing strike and reflect broader concerns within the education sector.

Kimeu’s statements underscore the need for urgent intervention to resolve the ongoing strike and address the issues facing schools. The situation remains tense, with the future of both students and teachers hanging in the balance until an agreement is reached.

In summary, the current unrest and the resulting school closures have highlighted critical issues within the education system. The warning to school principals is a call for careful consideration of the current climate and a plea for government action to address the underlying problems that have led to these disruptions.