Drama as angry parents, MP Salasya kick Isongo Secondary principal from school

Barely a week after furious parents in Mafuta Secondary school in Uasin Gishu county stormed the school to eject the school head over poor KCSE results, the worrying trend has been replicated in Kakamega county.

They came in droves, some on foot and others on motorbikes. Angry parents of St Gabriel Isongo Secondary stormed the school with a single mission, to eject the principal from the school whom they accused of failing to uphold the school’s academic standards.

Breaching all security, they went straight to the principal’s office and frogmarched him out of the school compound, manhandling him in the process.

Parents and the students joined in the melee and cheered as the man they perceived to be responsible for their poor grades was humiliated and thrown out. Fearing for his life, the embattled principal hailed a body that ferried him to safety.

“Huyu mwalimu akikuja hapa mean score ilikua 5 saa hii amerudisha chini mpaka imefika 2. Hii shule ni kubwa sana anaangusha shule. Kubadilisha walimu wa board kila mwezi,” said Joy Ingutia, a parent.

Peter Salasya, the area MP, said, “We want commitment from the principals that's why we have called for that meeting, no you have to go home. No, acha niweke some sympathy, you have to transfer.”

Salasya who was present apportioned blame on the principal, accusing him of letting down the learners and the community.

Seemingly appearing to support the forceful ejection of the principal, Salasya warned that he would not condone school heads who are not performing in his constituency.

“Sasa kama wewe ni principal, watoto wanakuja kwa shule, wazazi have done their part, bursary nimelipa then. You have not delivered, then it means you cannot whip your teachers to deliver,” the MP said.

The invasion of schools by parents over claims of poor performance in national examinations has been castigated by the Ministry of Education.

“The Ministry is disturbed by this unfortunate trend, which appears to create the impression that the burden of poor performance in examinations must be exclusively borne by teachers, especially the Head of Institution,” the statement sent to newsrooms reads in part.

It goes on to note that “We wish to remind communities behind these regrettable attacks that learner achievement in examinations is the reflection of the overall input from all stakeholders, including parents, teachers and candidates themselves.”

CS Ezekiel Machogu has warned that the Ministry of Education and the Teachers Service Commission have put in place a robust and elaborate mechanism for evaluating the performance of teachers, which always ensures non-performing staff are dealt with in accordance with existing laws and policies.