300 students from two schools in Nyandarua go on strike

More than 300 students from two secondary schools in Nyandurua yesterday went on strike. The students from Gikingi and Murichu secondary schools walked several kilometres to seek audience with the area education officer. Nyandarua deputy police chief Benjamin Onsongo said students from Murichu was the first to go on rampage. They wanted entertainment sessions to be moved from day time to the night.

However, the administration refused to grant their their request saying doing so would encourage immorality as the school is mixed.. Onsongo said the students wanted to be served a meal of rice daily instead of githeri. “They also claimed that some teachers have not been attending classes regularly,” he said. The students took a five-hour night trek to Nyahururu town to seek audience with the county education officer.

However they were addressed by Nyahururu OCS. Gikingi students stormed out of the school protesting lack of learning materials. The students demanded immediate removal of the principal Patrick Nyadolo whom they accused of arrogance and highhandedness. Nyandarua West Deputy DEO Joseph Kareithi promised to look into their grievances which included lack of trained teachers, poor learning environment and mismanagement of school funds by the management. The school has eight teachers, three of whom are employed by the Teachers Service Commission. Kareithi appealed to the students to remain calm as the education office looks into the issues and find ways of solving them.