The closure of Noonkopir Girls in Kajiado on Thursday has nothing to do with lesbianism, but indiscipline among a section of girls, the principal has said.
Speaking after an urgently convened school’s board of management meeting that ended on Friday night, Principal Florence Kimeu, said some identified girls planned to cause mayhem if they were not released from the school.
Kimeu said some girls threatened to beat others if they refused to leave the school on Thursday, something that the institution found fair to release them so as to stop the damage to the school property.
“They argued that they had completed all the exams and could see why they could wait until next week when the schools will be closed,” said Kimeu.
She dismissed claims attributed to parents and students that lesbianism is rife in the school adding that no men broke into the school last Saturday night as claimed.
On claims that some teachers are favouring alleged lesbian students in the school by not taking action against them when reported, the principal said that are fabricated lies aimed at causing harm to her administration.
“We are focused as teachers and will not allow sinister practices to take place in our institution. We have Christian and Muslim students in this school and we respect their faith,” said Kimeu.
The county director of education, Dr Martin Cheruyot, who attended the board meeting, said he investigated the matter and found out that the crisis at the school had nothing to do with lesbianism, but the students had set their minds for the holiday soon after completing their end-of-term examinations.
“We looked at the window the girls were claiming they saw a man jumping through into one of the dormitories and established that with all the security lights and the school’s watchmen, no one can use the window,” said Cheruyot.
He said some students who have been identified by other students as those who caused trouble on Thursday will face a disciplinary process from next week.
“The school has their names and the board of management will start the disciplinary process from Monday when the students will start reporting to the school with their parents,” said the county director of education.
On claims that one student had been beaten up and her private parts damaged by a group of alleged lesbians after she reported their activity, Cheruyot said there was nothing like that.
“They created lies to justify their quest for going home. There was nothing like that. Let them bring the injured girl as they claim,” said the CDE.
He said the school is secure for those who want to learn, and that the matron, the principal and some teachers are in the school full-time.
Meanwhile, one student from the school who did not travel back home to Loitokitok on Thursday has been found in her aunt’s house in Kitengela.
Her mother said when the students were released from the school on Thursday, her daughter did not arrive home.
“It caused us trauma after noticing that she did not arrive home on Thursday. After calling relatives all over, we established that she had gone to her aunt’s house in Kitengela,” she said.
The woman said her daughter had no transport money and chose to go to her aunt’s house because they were required back to school the next Wednesday.
The school administration said Form One students are expected on Monday while Form Two, Three and Four will report on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday respectively.
All the students must be accompanied by their parents, the school principal said.
