The ‘big school syndrome’ should end now

The recent shakeup at Alliance and Maseno should serve as a wakeup call to principals of the so-called ‘big schools’ to either shape up or ship out.

The principals of these schools have been on a honeymoon for far too long and even the public and the unions think that they are special.

When the government formulates policies to help run the education institutions in the country, the rules should apply to all and the big schools have been enjoying some form of reprieve.

Take for instance the ban on corporal punishment and bullying that was effected in 2001 and up to date, a whole decade and a half later, a premiere national school still abets the vices with abandon.

That our sons are still being clobbered and made to do bizarre punishments is simply unacceptable and it does not matter how many As the school produced previously.

The latest case involving Maseno principal is equally worrying. A new student in the school reports that he has been sexually abused by some senior students and everybody wants the whole episode hushed up simply because it involves a ‘big performing school’.

The cases are now being taken up by well-placed old students who blatantly want us to believe that education policies are made for ‘others’ to follow but when their ‘big’ schools come into the picture we should be lenient because the schools have produced ‘many’ people serving our society.

Most of the so-called ‘big’ schools still cost an arm and a leg despite a cap on fees that should be charged by boarding schools.

 None of these schools charge anything close to the recommended Sh53,000 per year and when questioned we get the old story of justifying the exorbitant fees by the number of As achieved in previous years.

Quietly, the national schools have been turned into clubs for the rich in society and these are the same people who are now up in arms against TSC cracking the whip on the errant caretakers.