Panic about expected strict supervision of national exams, poor leadership, unrealistic rules and drug abuse are fuelling unrest in schools. A preliminary audit report on the causes of riots in schools by the Ministry of Education also put in the list incompetence among senior Ministry of Education field officers.
It added that the existence of bad blood between school head teachers and their deputies, as well as poor communication skills by schools administrators, were some of the causes of the disturbances.
Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i released the findings yesterday during a crisis meeting at his Jogoo House office in Nairobi, prompted by a wave of unrest sweeping schools.
The closed-door meeting was attended by Education PS Belio Kipsang and the director of secondary and tertiary education, Robert Masese.
Also present were Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Secretary General Wilson Sossion and Chairman Mudzo Nzili, Kenya Union of Post Primary Education (Kuppet) Secretary General Akelo Misori and Chairman Omboko Milemba.
ducation, Robert Masese.
Also present were Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Secretary General Wilson Sossion and Chairman Mudzo Nzili, Kenya Union of Post Primary Education (Kuppet) Secretary General Akelo Misori and Chairman Omboko Milemba.
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Elimu Yetu Coalition coordinator Janet Muthoni and representatives of the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA) also attended.
The meeting heard that some of the ministry staff in the field are clueless on what is expected of them.
“The CS told us that there was high level of incompetence among some of his officials, and also noted that supervision was poor among persons entrusted with responsibility (to run and oversee schools),” said an official who attended the meeting.
Multiple sources confirmed Matiang’i had directed that teachers and students found liable for the unrest and destruction of property would be arrested starting today.
“He said starting today, arrest of students and teachers shall kick off and also said transfer of students will also be closed to private schools,” the official told The Standard.
This means the directive barring transfers for students involved in anarchy in public schools would also apply to private schools.
Matiang’i said burning schools was a criminal activity that must be punished, said our source.
“He asked us to assist the ministry calm down the unrest even as arrests start,” added the official.
“As a stop gap measure, Matiang’i told us the immediate call is to restore sanity in schools. And he wants all school boards to call meetings to assess the situation in their schools and give him a report,” the official said.
The meeting was told that cartels involved in examination cheating were sparking panic among students.
Matiang’i disclosed that some intelligence reports had pointed at panic among crooks who had perennially benefited in the national examinations business, our source further said.
A perception was being created among the students that the management of this year’s national examinations shall be tight, creating shivers among the students, the CS was quoted as saying.
The cartels were creating a gloomy picture of what to expect in national examinations with a view to disrupting the management of the examinations during third term, Matiang’i was quoted as saying.
A Knec report listed collusion among some teachers, the police and students in examination cheating.
The CS, however, reiterated that this year’s national examinations would be credible, saying no cheating would be entertained.
During the meeting, it also emerged that some of the school headteachers rarely went to schools, often delegating management roles to junior staff.
This had led to low level of understa
