Riddle of 14 missing pupils in centre row

Parents peep through the opening at the gate of St. Annes Academy in Kajulu, Kisumu East on October 29, 2019, when the exams started. Twenty-six KCPE candidates were reportedly taken to unknown examination centres. [File, Standard]

There was anxiety at St Annes Academy in Kajulu, Kisumu, after parents failed to trace 14 of the 26 KCPE candidates who had been reported missing from the school.

The parents now want the school management held accountable. This, even as the headteacher who had been arrested on Tuesday evening over the incident, was set free by police who said they had no basis to charge him.

Parents had on Monday realised that only 20 of the 46 Standard Eight pupils had reported for the ongoing examinations.

It later emerged that the school had registered only 20 top-performing pupils, while the rest were taken to Karunga Primary School in the neighbouring Muhoroni due to alleged poor performance.

When the matter was escalated on Monday, only 12 candidates were traced to Karunga, with the whereabouts of 14 remaining a mystery.

Yesterday, parents who could not trace their children to Karunga accused the Ministry of Education officials of laxity in solving the matter, with the school proprietor remaining at large.

Joseph Otieno, one of the parents who could not trace his child, said they had recorded statements with the ministry’s officials, but there was still no word on the whereabouts of the children.

“When word came round that our children were at Karunga, there was a bit of calm. But after it emerged that only 12 were there, more questions came up on the whereabouts of the rest,” he said.

County Director of Education Isaak Atebe yesterday said Karunga and St Annes Academy headteachers had been relieved of their duties as centre managers, and immediately replaced to allow police to do their work.

“We may not go deep into the issue, as it is being handled at another level. But what I can confirm to you is that the exams in both the schools have to go on, and we had to replace the centre managers and hand over the suspects to the police,” he said.

County Police Commander Benson Maweu yesterday confirmed that the headteacher who had been arrested on Tuesday evening was released due to lack of proper charges against him.

“From the allegations reported, which included registering candidates in a different school, we cannot do much looking into the provisions of the Penal Code. We have, however, taken his statements, and we are also still on with our investigations, meaning the case is not closed yet,” he said.

He could, however, not confirm if the other suspect had also been arrested.

Mr Maweu said his office communicated to the area Ministry of Education and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to seek guidance on their next course of action as provided for by the Education and TSC Acts.

When The Standard visited Karunga Primary School yesterday, some of the children from St Annes were spotted in the school, wearing blue-checked Karunga uniform instead of their previous white shirts and red pants for boys, and red dress with white collar for girls.

At St Annes, three pupils and three parents recorded statements on the matter, with officials from the ministry carrying out more checks.

“We found out that the school was registered as an institution that provides education aid for orphans and vulnerable children, yet it is operating as a private school. It also has dormitories that are not up to the required standards,” said an officer who sought anonymity.