- Orwa said they demand all teachers employed by TSC from the school be transferred to other schools and the institution closed because of “an intolerant community
- Migori county education officer Eiizabeth Otieno said the school is a security concern and several attempts to arbitrate police and even in her office have failed
Education stakeholders in Migori county have demanded closure of Chacha Moronge Secondary School in Kuria West over constant attack on teachers by community.
The school with only 65 learners, has been reporting high cases of insecurity from students, board of management and community.
Violence at the institution has seen a principal have his hands chopped off and the most recent attack saw a deputy, on acting capacity, forced to flee from the institution to evade assault.
Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers secretary for Migori county Samuel Orwa, in a letter dated March 3 to the Teachers Service Commission, said one principal had his hands chopped off.
Orwa said they demand all teachers employed by TSC from the school be transferred to other schools and the institution closed because of “an intolerant community and the school board of management that has demonstrated their dislike for of non-local teachers.
“A principal of the institution had his hands chopped off over issues related to school financial mismanagement, the principal who replaced him was equally removed by the school community,” Orwa said adding a third principal was also removed only two years later.
He said the last principal who was delocalised from Siaya county had to flee for his life and a deputy who took over shortly from him on acting capacity also fled the institution.
Migori county education officer Eiizabeth Otieno said the school is a security concern and several attempts to arbitrate police and even in her office have failed.
“Those teachers who left followed due process and reported to police with evidence they could not access the school because of hostility, a teacher came with his hands and left without them. The only solution will be to close the school,” Otieno said.
A TSC teacher posted at the school said members of the board, some with political ambition are behind the constant attacks in the school and rising insecurity.
“At times, especially during market days, students refuse to come to school with attempt to rein indiscipline bringing wrath. The board wants to micromanage even buying of chalks,” the teacher said.
On Friday, attempts by local leaders led by Makerero MCA Joseph Hoyo to have a meeting at the school with Kuppet, the board and residents failed as teachers and union officials said their lives were in danger.
“We attempted to have a meeting to stop the closure of the school, but it failed. We know politics has caused the school to face closure. We want to ensure it continues to ran,” Hoyo said.
He insisted the community was not a problem and pointed an accusing finger to the board.
Last October, a TSC recruitment exercise at Tarang'anya High School was rocked with violence after some MCAs stormed the venue in protest and chased away non-locals.
The rowdy group tore into pieces application papers of teachers before ejecting non-locals as some were assaulted.
“We have been humiliated in full glare of TSC officials yet I travelled all the way from Kisii county for the exercise. It is hurting that despite qualifying for the exercise, we still suffer from ethnic profiling,” said Yusuf Keriango, who was among the applicants.
Some of the recruits from the Kuria community said they were marginalised and thus could not share the limited vacancies with their counterparts from other communities.
-Edited by Sarah Kanyara