Pupil left paralysed, now using wheelchair after teachers’ beating

A KCPE candidate left paralysed after allegedly being caned in school on February 2, 2021, on a wheelchair at Iten County Referral Hospital in Elgeyo Marakwet. The pupil has been using a wheelchair for the last 11 days. [Stephen Rutto, Standard]

A Class Eight girl at Kibargoyet Primary School in Elgeyo Marakwet County has been left paralysed from the waist down to the feet and is now using a wheelchair after she was allegedly hit by a piece of wood by teachers.

The KCPE candidate, 15, was admitted Iten County Referral Hospital for physiotherapy for days, but still, she cannot walk due to unending back pain after the beating by teachers.

According to the mother Lilian Chesoo, her daughter who is expected to sit her KCPE next month was hit on the back using a piece of wood, injuring her spine.

Chesoo who later reported the matter to police accused the school management of abandoning the girl after injuring her and failing to inform her about what had transpired.

 “It is painful for me because I found my daughter abandoned in school and I had to pick her for medical attention,” she narrated.

The single mother recalls a female teacher in the school breaking the news of her daughter’s injury. She was at the time doing her routine menial jobs, she remembers.

“I went to the school to demand answers and I was told my child has been epileptic, but that is not true because my daughter has been representing the school in athletics competitions,” said Chesoo.

She continued: “Since that day, I have been in and out of the hospital. The girl is in unbearable pain and can’t sleep at night. I am a single mother and I have been relying on relatives and well-wishers to pay hospital bills.

Giving teacher nickname

Teachers are reported to have descended on the KCPE candidates were reportedly punished for giving one of their teachers a nickname ‘Pesa Mzuri’.

According to a teacher at the school, the move by the KCPE candidates to nickname the tutor Pesa Mzuri was seen as derogatory.

“The paralysed candidate was among a number of pupils who were subjected to punishment. The rest are well and going on with their studies,” the teacher said.

The teachers also claimed the girl is epileptic, something the mother has denied saying her daughter has never shown any signs of epilepsy and was active in sports.

Speaking at Iten County Referral Hospital before her departure to the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital for a CT scan, the injured pupil said she was punished for writing a letter denying the claims that she was part of a group that had given the teacher a nickname 

She revealed the teachers ordered them to dispose of the pieces of wood used to beat them in the rubbish pit within the school compound.

The girl said she developed pain and could not stand on her feet after the punishment

Investigations

Keiyo North sub-county director of Education Joseph ole Maki said a team of officials from the Ministry of Education have visited the school and the KCPE candidate’s home as investigations begin.

He said no action has been taken on the teachers suspected of subjecting the student to caning.

“We are compiling a report before we take disciplinary action. Police are also investigating the matter,” he said.

Area sub-county police commander Moses Kanyi said teachers behind the beating will be charged if found culpable.

He said police are piecing together reports before taking action.

Last month, Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha rooted for the reintroduction of corporal punishment in schools to stem runaway indiscipline among students, but the idea was quickly opposed by the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut).