Kapsaos Secondary School is reeling from a major surveillance scandal that has led to the transfer of its principal, Benina Soi.
Allegations surfaced weeks ago accusing Soi of secretly installing audio surveillance equipment in the staffroom without the knowledge or consent of teachers and other stakeholders.
Soi officially handed over her duties on Monday, taking up a new posting at United Soy Secondary School in Londiani. The handover ceremony, described by sources as tense and low-key, was attended by school administrators, Board of Management representatives, and officials from the Teachers Service Commission (TSC). Soi made no public statement at the event.
The controversy ignited strong condemnation from the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), Uasin Gishu County branch. KUPPET lambasted the surveillance system as a flagrant violation of teachers’ constitutional right to privacy, guaranteed under Article 31 of the Kenyan Constitution.
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Beyond the privacy breach, KUPPET officials also raised serious questions about the procurement process for the equipment. They alleged that Soi awarded the contract to her son, Albert Soin, labelling it a clear conflict of interest. The union demanded an immediate audit and a refund of the funds, advocating for the money to be redirected towards much-needed academic recovery initiatives at the school.
In a strongly-worded letter dated June 3, KUPPET had issued an ultimatum, threatening industrial action if the surveillance system was not dismantled by June 9. While sources within the school have now confirmed the audio equipment has been removed, neither the Ministry of Education nor the TSC has yet issued a formal statement on the matter.
Soi’s transfer to United Soy Secondary School is widely viewed as an administrative maneuver to defuse the volatile situation. However, critics are pressing for more stringent accountability measures, arguing that a mere transfer is insufficient.
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The TSC is expected to name an acting principal at Kapsaos as the investigations unfold. Meanwhile, KUPPET has vowed to relentlessly pursue the matter until its conclusion, asserting the paramount importance of protecting educators from unlawful surveillance and unethical leadership practices.
By Cornelius Korir
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