MP wants Mukumu Girls principal, BOM probed

Lugari, Monday April 17, 2023,

K.N.A, By Melechezedeck Ejakait



Lugari Member of Parliament Nabii Nabwera has asked education authorities to probe and charge Mukumu Girls High School principal and the Board of Management for negligence.

He said the recent occurrence at the school where several students  been hospitalized and  three students a teacher have died is enough proof that the principal-Fridah Ndolo (who has since been transferred) does not qualify to head any school and should be dismissed.

Nabwera who is also a member of the National Assembly Education Committee made the remarks during an Annual General Meeting at St.Cecilia Girls Mautuma on Saturday.

He regretted the loss and condoled with the families of the deceased students and teacher noting that there was serious challenge at Mukumu Girls High School.

“As a leader from Kakamega County who has many students from my constituency schooling there, I want to tell the Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu and the Teachers Service Commission CEO Nancy Macharia that the principal is incompetent and should be sacked.” he further said.

“Taking a disciplinary action alone against her is not enough. There must be a plan to prosecute her. We cannot afford to lose more than four students and a teacher and still allow her to be a principal elsewhere.

Nabwera said the principal exhibited a high level of incompetence by insisting that students be treated at the school’s dispensary knowing very well the facility has no medical doctor.

He said: “In fact I want to put it very clear. Madam Ndolo was negligent, incompetent and must be charged in a court of law for causing the death of students and their teacher”.

“It is not possible that students were sick for two weeks and instead of closing the school or seeking help elsewhere she insisted that they be treated at the school’s dispensary.

“When we visited the school the kitchen was very dirty indicating the students had taken dirty water and contaminated food.”

The first time lawmaker also insisted that a disciplinary action should  be taken against  the Board of Management .

“It is not satisfactory that the issue is taken for granted. I want to reiterate that both the principal and the Board of Management caused the death of the students and the teacher due to their incompetence and should be charged in court.

“Transferring the principal and disbanding the Board of Management is not enough. They should be sued for incompetence by not letting the students seek medical care elsewhere on time hence causing their deaths, ”he stated.

Lugari Sub County Director of Education Magdalene Igwatai urged school heads to uphold high standards of hygiene in their respective schools in order to safeguard their students from food and water borne diseases.

On Saturday Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu announced the transfer of Mukumu Girls High School principal Fridah Ndolo and disbanded the Board of Management.

Ndolo was transferred to the office of the Western Regional Director of the Teachers Service Commission while her position will be taken by Shikoti Girls’Secondary School principal Jane Mmbone.

Machogu also directed that all cereals in the school’s store be destroyed as the government is yet to declare the results of the laboratory tests hence cannot ascertain the safety of the remaining
foodstuffs.



Courtesy K.N.A