Normalcy has returned in Gatundu South schools after a wave of unrest that saw closure of boarding schools over the weekend.
Stakeholders led by the County Education Director Wanjohi Ng’ang’a, Gatundu Sub county education director, MP Gabriel Kagombe and the area security apparatus led by the assistant Deputy County Commissioner Rose Chege held a crisis meeting on Monday evening to deliberate on resumption of learning in the schools.
The meeting was also meant to come up with solution to the unrest that left dormitories in several schools including Ucekeini girls secondary school, Gathiru Boys, Muhoho Boys and Mururia Boys high school burnt and students possessions damaged.
Already one school, Queen Of Rosary Nembu Girls secondary school, resumed operations today with the other six affected institutions expected to resume in the course of this week and early next week.
“We’ve been holed up in a three-hour meeting with principals and security officers over the recent unrest cases in some of our schools and we’ve identified the causes and solutions. We expect that going forward there won’t be disorder and that learning will resume normally,” said MP Kagombe.
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The lawmaker also divulged that some 25 students who were arrested in relation to the arson attacks on school facilities are eyet to be arraigned as detectives dig deeper to unravel the root cause and gather substantive evidence.
“These are minors and their matter has to be handled carefully. We are waiting for directive from the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions, report from the children’s department as well as investigations to be completed so that we can know the next cause of action,” Kagombe said.
Some of the reasons behind the unrest and torching of facilities by learners include tough examinations, strict frisking during school reentry and even demands to report back at 4 pm instead of 12 pm.
The crisis meeting resolved to have the issues addressed promptly by the respective schools’ management and also initiate talks with learners to mentor and have them change their behaviours.
“We are pleading with our students to maintain highest levels of discipline for the sake of tranquility in our learning institutions. They should know that the burden of their actions will be borne by their parents while those who will be found culpable of any wrong doing will face the wrath of the law,” he quipped.
Also Boards of Management of respective schools are set to assess the damages and chart a way forward to have the facilities rehabilitated for smooth learning.
Temporary structures will be put up to house learners whose dormitories were extensively damaged.
By John Kamau
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