Professionals raise concern as unrest rocks Elgeyo Marakwet County schools

St. Patrick's High School-Iten Gate /Photo-St.Patrick's High School-Iten.

Professionals in the education sector have raised concerns over the wave of strikes, that has hit several schools in Elgeyo Marakwet County, leaving students and parents in a state of uncertainty. With the second term exam series approaching, the timing of these strikes couldn’t be more critical.

The recent spate of unrest has affected some of the county’s top-performing schools, including St. Patrick’s Iten ; National boys’ school that ranked 133 nationally in the 2023/2024 KCSE exams with a mean score of 8.369. Their counterparts Moi Kapsowar girls staged a similar protest at the beginning of second term forcing the institution to be closed.

The wave also swept Tambach Boys High School, a boys’ school that ranked 405 nationally with a mean score of 6.082.  Santa Maria Girls Secondary School which ranked 246 nationally with a mean score of 7.4834 was also closed indefinitely after students protested demanding the removal their deputy principal who they termed as strict.

Other schools in the county that have registered student unrest are Yemit Girls, Kondabilet mixed school and Kibendo secondary school.

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According to reports, the grievances range from insufficient food to rejection of school administration. Students in these schools have expressed dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs, leading to the closure of schools and sending students home.

Professionals in the education sector, led by former County Speaker Albert Kochei have raised concerns over the spate of strikes, citing the negative impact on students’ academic performance.

Kochei has called for an urgent investigation into the underlying issues driving these strikes. “We need to unearth the root causes of these strikes and address them promptly,” he said, while cautioning students against the dangers of strikes.

In his view he says when such incidences occur the casualty will be the future of students. “When unrests erupts at such critical academic junctures, not only is the term lost but also the future of the very students we are meant to protect and empower,” remarked Kochei.

Regrettably, the strikes have resulted in the destruction of school property at St. Patrick’s Iten and Tambach Boys High School. This destruction not only affects the schools but also the students who will have to bear the consequences of delayed academic calendar.

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Schools in other parts of the country have also recorded incidences of strikes in the past one week. The puzzle, timing and coincidence involving academic giants across the country is of great concern.

With the second KCSE exam series looming, students in these schools are likely to face significant challenges in preparing for their exams. The strikes have disrupted the academic calendar, and it remains to be seen how schools will recover lost time.

As the situation continues to unfold, stakeholders in the education sector are calling for calm and dialogue to resolve the issues amicably. The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has not yet commented on the potential impact of the strikes on the upcoming exams.

For now, students, parents, and educators can only hope that the situation is resolved quickly, allowing schools to reopen and academic activities to resume without further disruptions.

By Philemon Kiprop

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