Teachers: Arrest rogue parents

Teachers' unions want parents who storm schools to protest poor results in national examinations arrested.

Last week, poor results in national tests sparked protests from parents and politicians who demanded the transfers of various school heads in Kakamega County.

Parents marched to five different schools and closed the gates on allegations of poor management and poor results posted in last year’s national exams.

Teachers' unions now want parents of Makokho Secondary, St Peter’s Muyundi Girls, Lukongo Primary, Lukongo Secondary and Shibale Primary School prosecuted for endangering the lives of tutors.

Area residents and parents at the five schools are said to have been unhappy with the institutions' mean scores, confronting the school heads whom they accused of contributing to the poor performance.

Politically instigated

Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) and the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Kakamega County branches have claimed the protests were politically instigated and asked the police to investigate and arrest those behind them.

Kuppet branch chairperson Johnston Wabuti and Knut branch deputy executive secretary Malack Wesa have petitioned the county commissioner and county police commander to investigate the incidents, which they termed barbaric and unacceptable.

“We cannot allow hooliganism in school because people don’t understand that exams are done by students with the help of all stakeholders,” said Mr Wabuti

Union officials are also calling for the arrest of political leaders who were seen leading the protests. At Makhokho in Ikolomani, for instance, area MP Bernard Shinali led parents in calling for the transfer of the school principal.