Hundreds of students from Kawauni Secondary School, in Machakos County on Friday morning staged a dramatic walkout to the sub-county education offices in Kangundo town, protesting what they described as poor leadership and worsening conditions in the institution.
Armed with manila placards and chanting slogans, the learners demanded the immediate transfer of their principal and the deployment of more teachers to ease the heavy workload on the few available staff.
The learners also raised concerns about delayed meals, saying lunch is often served as late as 3:00 p.m., leaving many of them hungry and unable to concentrate in class.
“Imagine being in class since morning without food, only to eat late in the afternoon. It is not fair, especially for boarders who depend entirely on the school,” school captain added.
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According to the school captain, who led the protest, the grievances have been piling up for months without action.
“We are tired of suffering in silence. Our principal hardly comes to school, and when he does, he is never available to listen to our issues. We also lack enough teachers, and some of our subjects are going untaught,” the captain told reporters outside the education offices.
The students further complained about inadequate support staff, alleging that boarders are sometimes forced to cook for themselves when workers are not available.
They also cited a lack of classrooms, which has led to overcrowding during lessons, and accumulating unpaid bills that have left the school in financial distress.
By the time of reporting, the students were still camped at the education director’s office in Kangundo, awaiting to be addressed by education officials before being escorted back to school.
Education authorities are yet to issue an official statement regarding the matter.
By Agnes Mutio
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