KUPPET demands transfer of headteacher who beat up a teacher in Nyamira

The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Teachers (KUPPET) has called for the immediate transfer of the Nyanchoka Primary and JSS School headteacher who assaulted a teacher last week.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, KUPPET Acting Secretary General Moses Nthurima claimed that the headteacher, who is still at large, has been interfering with investigations.

The union further argues that the victim, Vincent Onyancha, who is still recuperating from the assault injuries, cannot go back to the institution in the presence of the headteacher due to psychological trauma and strained relations.

“KUPPET demands the headteacher’s immediate transfer from the school to pave way for impartial investigations. His continued presence in the school cannot allow Mr. Onyancha to resume work since relations between them have totally collapsed,” stated Mr. Nthurima.

“Regrettably, the assaulter remains at large. Neither the police nor the Teachers Service Commission has apprehended him. The community of Nyanchoka school, including teachers and parents, are concerned by his active efforts to interfere with investigations by the school management and the sub-county TSC office.”

In light of the incident, KUPPET consequently urged the Ministry of Education to review the deployment of teachers to JSS schools through a complete overhaul of the leadership management.

According to Mr. Nthurima, senior school teachers should take charge of the JSS curriculum, human capital, and other resources since there is a disparity in primary school heads' ability to effectively take up roles previously held by principals.

“The framework of teacher supervision that exists in primary schools has proved insufficient since the JSS transition. Curriculum audit, which is under the purview of Principals, is not being effectively performed by primary school heads,” stated KUPPET the boss.

“For these reasons, KUPPET demands that senior school teachers be deployed into management positions in JSS to manage the curriculum, human capital and other resources in the institutions. This is the only panacea to the perennial crisis of management in JSS schools.”

On Tuesday last week, Mr. Onyancha was brutally assaulted by the headteacher while on duty.

The teacher said he was slapped and kicked in front of his students for allegedly being late.

"I was a little late to school, and the principal came into class and beat me while I was teaching. He kicked me and slapped me, then dragged me to his office and continued to descend on me with blows," he said then.

He was later admitted at a hospital in Ikonge, and according to KUPPET, he has since been discharged and is undergoing psychological therapy as he waits for further directions from the employer.