Kaptama and Kamneru students protest against principal citing negligence

By Isabella Maua

Students from Moi Girls Kaptama and Bishop Okiring Kamneru Secondary schools have on Monday demonstrated from their school premises to the Director of Education’s office in Mt.Elgon Sub County.

The students who walked for more than 10Km ambushed the Education officers early morning with Moi Kaptama students decrying poor management of their school, poor meals and cases of sick students being neglected.

“Our deputy principal is to blame for all our problems because she is never at school most of the time and never gives us a forum to air our concerns when we raise such issues before her,” the students complained.

They also demanded to know why their school fees was hiked yet they aren’t getting value for it in terms of quality meals and basic needs.

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“We used to pay 35,000 and it was raised to 42000 but we’re only served plain porridge for breakfast; also when there’s power outage or no water in the school we’re forced to survive with no alternative solution to salvage the situation,” they reiterated.

Bishop Okiring students on the other hand arrived a few hours after their counterparts with almost same issues targeting their head teacher David Onyango whom they claim have neglected his duties for far too long.

While expressing their dissatisfaction, the students who are both boys and girls said that they lack enough teaching staff especially in key subjects besides having being denied the right to use their school bus until they pay 500/= each for servicing it.

“We don’t have teachers for Business Studies, Physics, Mathematics, Geography and Chemistry; for the boarding sector we also don’t have a boarding master, mistress nor matron,” the students pointed out.

They also noted that even after winning the semi finals hand ball, they were denied the opportunity to proceed to the next level of with officials alleging to have talked to their principal and given out their slot to another school.

“Our lives are at risk for the boarders since the dormitories have no windows and are not in good condition,” they decried.

Students from both schools also mentioned that they had paid for trips which they have never gone since last year.

While addressing the aggrieved students, Mt. Elgon Sub County Director for Education, Donald Etyang’ applauded the students for holding peaceful demonstrations and not causing any destructions or damage.

He also promised them that their genuine concerns will be looked into and addressed in conjunction with the schools’ board of management for a lasting solution.

He also promised to liaise with TSC to ensure enough teachers are deployed soonest possible.

Patrick Bowon, ACC Kaptama also addressed the students and assured them that the constructive engagement they’ve had will surely bear fruit.

The talks that took the entire day ended with students amicably agreeing to be transported to their respective schools awaiting further action.