Uasin Gishu Parents Protest Brutal Punishment of Students for Failing Set Book Questions.
Five Form 2 students from Songoliet Secondary School in Uasin Gishu County were left with knee injuries after they were subjected to harsh punishment by their Kiswahili teacher.
The students had failed to respond to questions from a set book during two trials, which led to the punitive action.
The incident has sparked outrage among parents and guardians, who are now calling on the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to intervene.
Parents’ Outcry
Parents of the affected students, alongside other concerned guardians, stormed the school, demanding accountability from both the teacher involved and the school principal.
They expressed frustration, insisting that their children were sent to school to learn, not to be physically harmed.
One parent pointed out that the form of punishment was completely unacceptable and urged the TSC to take swift measures to prevent such occurrences in the future.
While some parents acknowledged the place of discipline in schools, they stressed that punishment should not cause harm.
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Instead, they urged teachers to focus on helping students understand the material rather than resorting to punitive measures when they fail to answer questions correctly.
Police Investigation
Following the incident, police from the Cheptiret post launched an investigation into the matter.
The law enforcement officers indicated that other students who might have been involved were concealed, but they managed to communicate with the director of education.
The director was reportedly holding a meeting to address the issue.
Police officers mentioned they had attempted to reach the head teacher by phone, but the response was unsatisfactory.
They then escalated the matter to the director of education. Authorities assured parents and the public that a thorough report would be provided as soon as the investigation concluded.
Details of the Punishment
The controversy began when the students failed to answer Kiswahili set book questions posed by their teacher.
Frustrated by their repeated inability to provide correct responses, the teacher instructed the students to kneel and walk on gravel, which resulted in severe injuries.
The punishment caused the students’ knees to swell and suffer cuts.
The students were subsequently taken to Chepkigen Hospital in Kesses Constituency by their parents, where they received medical attention for their injuries.
According to a report by NTV, one of the students described the sequence of events leading to the punishment.
After failing to answer the teacher’s initial question, they were sent outside to run. Upon their return, the teacher posed more questions, and when they failed to respond again, they were made to walk on their knees on the gravel.
Call for Accountability
Parents are now pushing for the TSC to take disciplinary action against both the teacher and the school principal.
Their goal is to ensure that such harsh punishments do not recur, safeguarding the well-being of students and maintaining a conducive learning environment.
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The police investigation is ongoing, with officers vowing to release a comprehensive report on the incident soon.
Meanwhile, parents and the school community await the findings and possible actions to be taken by the relevant authorities.
Uasin Gishu Parents Protest Brutal Punishment of Students for Failing Set Book Questions.
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