Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Kisii branch has strongly criticized parents in the region for frog-marching Principals from schools over poor KCSE examination results.
Branch Executive Secretary Joseph Abincha said that it takes collective responsibility to post presentable exam results and it is unfair to point fingers at one party only.
He noted that many factors affect the quality of results in schools and singled out frequent absenteeism by learners due to lack of school fees and learning materials, poor performance by students, discipline and lack of follow up by parents.
Abincha was reacting after several schools in both Nyamira and Kisii Counties were invaded by parents protesting over poor examination results and implicated Principals in the mess.
In Kisii County, irate parents invaded Gekonge Secondary School on January 9, locked the Principal’s office and asked TSC to transfer him and his Deputy from the school.
The following day, parents of St. Catherine Iranda Secondary school stormed the institution in Kitutu Chache North Constituency and threatened to enroll their children elsewhere unless the Principal was transferred.
They accused the Principal of failure to unite his teachers and students for better examination performance.
The parents said that they were embarrassed when only one candidate scored a C+ as the rest of the candidates scored grade E.
However, the Deputy Principal defended the school stating that they had improved the mean score from 3.5 in 2022 to 3.8 currently.
Matara Araka, a seasoned member of School Management Committees in various schools, said that good performance in examination entails many factors adding that it is wrong to sacrifice the Principal alone over poor performance.
He advised parents to enforce discipline in their children and provide enough learning materials to motivate them to perform better.
Araka lauded the Education CS Ezekiel Machogu for sternly warning parents who will be found harassing teachers over poor results.
Machogu said that it is a crime for parents to eject Principals from schools whenever their schools and asked them to embrace legal channels to register their dissatisfaction.
“We wish to remind communities behind these regrettable attacks that learners’ achievement in examinations is a reflection of the overall input from all stakeholders including parents, teachers and candidates themselves,” read part of the circular seen by Education News.
By Enock Okong’o
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