Boy students match 50 kilometers protesting female dominated leadership

Kapsabet,

Tuesday, January 23, 2024

KNA by Geoffrey Satia

Close to 200 male students of Kebulonik Secondary in Nandi County, marched to the Nandi County headquarters in Kapsabet, demanding an explanation as to why the Teachers Service Commission, allowed both female principal and deputy to head their mixed school.

The students who braved a cold morning protested and walked more than 50 kilometres to reach Kapsabet town.

They said they were aware that mixed schools cannot be headed by both female deputy principals and tasked the TSC, to move fast and correct such scenarios in their school.

Kebulonik boys students, told education officials in Kapsabet that they needed at least one female and male at the top leadership of their school to correct the gender imbalance.

Form-one students and the entire girls’ population remained in school as the boys used early morning hours heading to County headquarters.

According to their report of grievances, the students also said the bathrooms in their dormitories were insufficient, as some students are forced to bathe in the open at night.

They lamented that the toilets were also few and those available were poorly maintained.

However, Ms. Milka Misoi, their newly posted Principal told a meeting chaired by Julius Odongo, the County Quality Assurance Officer, that the construction of new toilets was an ongoing project and it will soon be accomplished.

 Misoi insisted that they were working closely with the school board of management, to ensure issues raised by students are addressed immediately.

 Odongo who called for a crisis meeting at his office on behalf of the County Director of Education, insisted most issues raised by students were valid and said the Teachers Service Commission, would work immediately on when they can bring a male teacher as the school deputy principal, since it’s a requirement under school management regulations.

He said protesting students should be allowed to have entertainment, as prescribed by the school, rather than denying them completely.

 Earlier, Kebulonik protesting boys had complained of school management denying them entertainment which used to be there before, and wanted the school administration to reintroduce it.

The boys also revealed how their talents were being ruined due to lack of sporting facilities and tools in the school.

 “Some of us have different talents and we need to practice them during sporting field activities,” one of the Kebulonik School protesters said.

Education and security officers who listened to students' grievances, thanked the students for not destroying school property, but for deciding on a peaceful way of presenting their complaints.

 They were taken to their school and promised that the issues will be addressed immediately.

Courtesy; KNA