Drama in Kericho as pupils, parents follow transferred headteacher to new school

Learning was disrupted at Mabwaita and Sosit primary schools in Bureti Constituency, Kericho County, after students and parents from Mabwata staged a two-kilometer march to Sosit school demanding the return of their headteacher who had been transferred there.

The parents and students blame education officials for transferring the headteacher without informing them, claiming that the teacher was barely a year in the school and was already bringing the needed change.

Mabwaita resident Richard Langat said: “Asubuhi niliamkia nduru, kufika shuleni nikapata wanafunzi wakitoka na wazazi…kuuliza wakasema mwalimu wao amepigwa transfer.”

The school board of management board which joined the parents and students said that last week they wrote to the Ministry of Education to protest the transfer of the headteacher.

They claim that the headteacher has brought significant changes to the school, increasing the number of students from 50 to over 300 in a short period of time.

Mabwaita board member Shadrack Korir stated: “Our headteacher was barely a year in school, just six months old and the school was in ICU but he had done a tremendous job.”

Betty Korir, a parent at Mabwaita school, said: “Watoto wetu walikuwa hawajui kusoma, hawajui kuandika, saa hizi wanaandika…wengine wamekunywa pombe na bangi na Cheruiyot aliwaongelesha nyumba kwa nyumba wakarudi shule, sasa mnataka hawa vijana warudi tena kwa pombe?”

Parents and leaders of Mabwaita Primary School vowed to disrupt learning at Sosit Primary School until their headteacher is back, forcing police officers to intervene.

“Instead of coming to address us, we were coming for education matters but they are sending security officers,” Korir noted.

Bureti OCPD Benedict Chirchir stated: “Naambia wazazi siku ingine kitu kama hii ikifanyika sababu transfer ni mambo ya serikali, wawache kuandamana waende Ministry of Education waongee.”

The students and their parents marched for over three hours before holding a meeting with police officers and returning to the school. However, they are still calling on the Ministry of Education to reconsider their decision.