The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has raised a red flag over rising incidences of non-local school head teachers being harassed and intimidated by students.
Bungoma TSC Director,Wilson Koros has said that investigations conducted by various education stakeholders have revealed that those rowdy students are being incited by teachers and politicians in order to chase away the teachers who are considered foreigners.
The director has issued a stern warning against teachers who are behind this negative campaign stating that they will be disciplined if found guilty after completion of thorough investigations.
“We have discovered that most of these students are acting on grievances that are not their own but from some wayward members of the community as well as politicians.”
“It has also come to our attention that some members of non-teaching staff in some schools along with some disgruntled deputy head teachers are also part of this wide scheme to frustrate incoming principals who may not be coming from the local community” Said Koros.
He said over 34 schools in Bungoma have been vandalized by rowdy students who are seeking the removal of non local school heads.
Schools that have been greatly affected in the infernos County include Namwela boys’ high school, Bungoma high school, Maliki boys’ high school among others.
Koros said that the unrest has led to extreme and massive destruction of the Institution’s properties by learners.
He attributed teacher’s delocalization by the TSC as being one of the challenges that led to school disturbances citing the teachers who have been posted in far- flung counties and their home is in Bungoma are coming back and demanding to be handed over administrative positions.
“It is evident that teachers are coming from other counties and demanding to be the heads of Institutions in Bungoma, something that arouses mixed reactions from both parents, students and teachers,” Koros noted.
According to the Investigations done by both TSC, KNUT and Kuppet, Koros says that the grievances agitated by students are more related to non- teaching and teaching staff, adding that the latter are clear perpetrators of school unrest.
He said that the probe further revealed that there has been hiring of goons to frogmarch administrators out of the institutions under unclear circumstances.
However, the administrator said that there have also been incidents of Board of Management (BOM) teachers working against the school principal, something that causes division in the school.
Koros called on school principals to take disciplinary action against such errant teachers warning that such incidences could bring down the affected institutions.
“The work of teachers is to impart learners with knowledge and train them how to become good people in the community,” Koros said.
In addition, Koros asked politicians to support schools and fulfill the pledges they made to school during campaigns arguing that if not fulfilled they will contribute to school unrest.
He called on teachers to observe professionalism while executing their duties and stick to the teaching standards.
He said that since the board of management participates within the Institutions they should be close and act as the support systems to the school head.
He added that the commission together with other stakeholders has commenced sensitization in Bungoma schools on how to improve Institutions and turn around performance.
By Our Reporter
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