By Lydia Ngoolo
Makueni County Teachers Service Commission (TSC) director Alex Cheruiyot has warned parents against involving learners in their fights with school administrations. He noted that children have a right to education and should be left in classes as parents and teachers solve their differences.
He was speaking to Education News after parents of Matheani primary school forcibly took away their children from school demanding the transfer of the school’s head teacher whom they termed as very arrogant.
Mutinda Kaviti, one of the parents, argued that the head teacher had been in that school for 19 years and that he heads it like his own home.
‘He doesn’t listen to us and there is no accountability for our money. He frequently insults parents and pupils and because of his administration, the performance of the school has declined. We want him out or our children won’t return to the school,’ Kaviti said.
On the other hand, the director observed that the parents didn’t use the right channel to address their problems since they didn’t report their grievances to any authority including his office.
‘If the parents had reported their grievances, we would have addressed their problems before things escalated to them forcing their children out of school. Some of their grievances are personal. For instance, the school had a mean score of 251 last year so the issue of poor performance doesn’t count,’ Cheruiyot said.
However, the education team visited the school and talked to parents amicably after which they agreed that the children should return to school.
“All is well in the school. We also agreed that the head teacher continues serving as we transfer him smoothly,” Cheruiyot added.
