Parents at a secondary school in West Pokot County on Friday evening went on rampage demanding the transfer of the principal.
St Peter’s Kapkecha Secondary School parents marched and stormed the County Teachers Service commission [TSC] offices in Kapenguria demanding for the transfer of the school head Mr Samson Chemweru.
The angry parents cited the school’s poor results for the last four years since the school started and alleged corruption by the school head.
The parents took a swipe at County Teachers Service Commission [TSC] officers for covering many corrupt school managers and colluding with them in embezzling school funds.
The parents have threatened to take away their children from the school.
Carrying twigs and placards, parents vowed not to allow all access roads and prevent the principal, Mr. Chemweru, from accessing the institution.
“He embezzled Kshs 800,000 that was funded by the Kapenguria Constituency Development fund [CDF] to build classrooms but he didn’t construct even a toilet,” he said.
Led by a parent, Mr Peter Tuwot demanded that Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha send in a new principal.
“We demand change as the management at the school is poor, the principal only comes to send students home for fees and once money is in the account he disappears without consulting parents or the board,” Peter , a parent, said.
“The principal is killing our society by reducing the number of students who can join university, not that university is important,” said.
They accused the head teacher over not working with the new board of management thus forging signatures for the bank signatories.
“His subject, Mathematics had a lot of Es . Every year, they have been getting Es and no student has ever gotten D- since the school started. Why should we pay school fees for four years with nothing,”he said.
Another parent Ms Mary Lokadanyi said that there has been no development in the school but only mistreatment by the head teacher.
“He has been raising school fees now and then.Our children are at risk.He does very little shopping for learners,”she said.
Christine Chemelo accused the head teacher of chasing away children during Corona Virus period.
‘They put our girls in danger .He only used the funds to fence the school,’she said.
But speaking over the phone,the school head , Chemweru, said claims raised by parents were false and the poor results in the school were caused by themselves.
He noted last year, the school had a mean score of 2.1 in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education.
He said that he had written a report to the Ministry of Education and was waiting for the outcome.
“The bank signatories have been withdrawing money without me knowing. They don’t pay workers,”he said.
Chemweru faulted the BOM for sacking teachers saying that they should not complain yet they have contributed to poor results.
“In January, they dismissed three BOM teachers and how can they expect better results, “he said.
The head teacher accused the BOM Chairman Wilson Lonyang’ole and school board member Peter Tuwot for playing politics.
“Tuwot wants to be a Member of the County Assembly and he wants to use that to get political mileage, “he said.
County Teachers Service commission Director Mr Geoffrey Chemos said that they are investigating poor results.
“Our officers are doing investigations,”he said.
Concerning corruption, he said it lies with the ministry of education.
“I have asked the ministry to bring an audit report because we are not concerned,”said Chemos.
He cited that the teacher also needs to be given a fair hearing.
