Parents and the community around Khasoko Boys’ High school in Bumula Constituency, Bungoma County today held peaceful protests demanding the removal of the principal after one student passed away and 117 others hospitalized following a malaria outbreak.
Speaking to the press, Peter Malala, a parent, blamed the principal, Daniel O Wasambo, for the incident saying that he never involved stakeholders in running the school.
“Since this principal was brought to this school, he has never involved the community in the affairs of the school. In fact some of us don’t know him,” he said.
He called on the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to move with speed and transfer the principal, saying that the community will not allow him to continue running the school.
“Last term a student died under unclear circumstances, on May 19th the same school has lost another student again under unclear circumstances. This is now a joke! If the County Director of Education and the TSC Director won’t intervene, we as parents are going to sort it out,” he said.
The residents also accused the school head for not awarding tenders to them.
“The people who supply foodstuff to this school are outsiders. Since he came here, we have never been given a tender to supply even sand,” he added.
Malala also alleged that the principal went ahead and sourced Board of Management (BoM) teachers from his home county.
“Our sons and daughters in this community have tried applying for BoM positions in this school but they have never been considered, he only gives jobs to his friends and relatives,” he said.
The parents, however, said that the school enrolment is growing and asked the Bumula NG-CDF committes to consider building new infrastructure.
“We have been informed by students that some of them sleep on the floor and this might have caused the malaria outbreak,” he said.
During the demonstrations, Bungoma County TSC Director Wilson Koros, Bumula Sub-County Director of Education and the school BoM Chairman were holding discussions on the matter in a closed door meeting.
Bungoma County Director of Education Pius Ng’oma noted that the Ministry was aware of what befell the school, and called on the BoM to ensure that all sanitation issues are addressed before reopening.
County Health officials who visited the school attributed the outbreak to lack of malaria nets, stagnant water and unmaintained shrubs and bushes at the school.
By Our reporter
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