Parents and Pupils Follow Transferred Headteacher to New School, Demand His Return.
Learning was disrupted at Mabwaita and Sosit primary schools in Bureti Constituency, Kericho County, after students and parents from Mabwaita staged a two-kilometer march to Sosit Primary School. The demonstrators demanded the return of their headteacher, who had recently been transferred to Sosit.
The protesters accused education officials of transferring the headteacher without prior consultation. They expressed frustration, noting that the teacher had served at Mabwaita for less than a year and had already initiated meaningful changes.
Residents of Mabwaita highlighted the significant improvements brought by the transferred headteacher.
A local resident, Richard Langat, explained that he woke up to a commotion and discovered students and parents leaving the school in protest. Upon inquiry, he learned that the transfer was the source of their grievance.
According to the school’s board of management, a formal letter had been sent to the Ministry of Education to oppose the transfer. The board emphasized the headteacher’s role in transforming the school, increasing enrollment from 50 to over 300 students in just six months.
Shadrack Korir, a member of the school board, stated that the headteacher had been instrumental in reviving the school, which was previously struggling.
Community Concerns
Parents expressed their concerns over the transfer. Betty Korir, a parent at Mabwaita, recounted that the headteacher had helped address widespread issues such as illiteracy and substance abuse among students.
She described how the headteacher personally visited families to encourage students who had dropped out to return to school. She feared that without his leadership, students might relapse into negative behaviors.
The protest escalated, leading parents and leaders to vow continued disruption of learning at Sosit Primary School until their demands were met. Police officers intervened to restore order. Some parents criticized the authorities, claiming that instead of engaging them on the issue, they deployed security personnel.
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Bureti OCPD Benedict Chirchir urged parents to follow appropriate channels for such grievances. He stated that transfers are government matters and encouraged them to address their concerns with the Ministry of Education rather than staging protests.
The march lasted over three hours before the protesters returned to Mabwaita after holding discussions with the police. Despite this, they remain steadfast in urging the Ministry of Education to reconsider its decision to transfer the headteacher.
Parents and Pupils Follow Transferred Headteacher to New School, Demand His Return.
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