Lugari Sub-county Security Committee and secondary school principals have vowed to collaborate to avert possible cases of school unrest and insecurity, as the national examinations approach.
Speaking during a consultative meeting that brought together the committee and the principals at Lugari Diploma Teachers Training College, the Deputy County Commissioner, Simon Mutai, said the third term is a crucial period in the schools’ calendar; hence, all stakeholders must be alert.
“The candidates are preparing for their final examinations. You must take charge of your respective schools as principals and assure the learners of their security during this period,” he said.
“Let us work together as a team, share information, and ensure the safety of our schools and learners. Where you need our support in matters of security, never hesitate to ask for it,” he added.
Mutai urged the principals to be open and easily accessible to students, teaching and non-teaching staff, understand their schools’ environment, and, where possible, have informers so that they can get information early whenever something is about to happen.
The Sub-county Director of Education, Joan Sakwa, said the Ministry of Education values the safety and security of learners and schools; hence, all stakeholders must collaborate to ensure the schools are safe and peaceful.
“It is a directive from the ministry headquarters that we must make sure our schools are safe, the learners are safe, and teaching and learning are going on peacefully,” she said.
“That is why we are having this sub-county consultative meeting between partners from other ministries and departments in terms of security, so that we can be able to move forward on how best to manage our schools peacefully until the end of the year,” she said.
Sakwa reminded the meeting that although the learners’ safety at school is paramount, they should also be considerate of the learners’ safety and security outside the learning institutions.
“Let us not limit security issues to the school environment,” she said.
Sakwa noted that although the schools in the Sub-county are calm, the major challenge afflicting them is absenteeism, especially among candidates expected to be preparing for their final examination.
Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA), Lugari Chair, David Makokha, encouraged fellow principals to adequately acquaint themselves with the safety standards manual for schools.
“Let us take time to read and properly understand the manual and other relevant circulars from the Ministry of Education and the Teachers Service Commission. Whatever is written in those circulars gives direction on how we are supposed to operate on matters of security,” he stated.
“When we fail to adhere to the directives and an incident happens, we shall be answerable as individuals.”
Makokha appealed to the Ministry of Education to fully disburse funds to schools so that principals can adequately handle issues of security and put in place the necessary security mechanisms.
Lugari TSC Director James Wanyela urged the school administrators to be at school always in order to be able to respond immediately to any emerging security threat.
He told the principals to open up communication channels with the learners, teaching and non-teaching staff in order to understand the school environment.
“This is the right time to regularly engage the learners and other stakeholders. Let us not just sit in our offices and lock ourselves up. This is the time to manage by moving around our schools,” he advised.
“Let us ensure we understand all corners of our compounds and buildings, so that we understand how these students are operating for ease of management,” he said.
He noted that administrators must have feelers on the ground. The feelers will give you indicators of any mischief that is about to happen.
“Work cordially with the prefects’ body, the master of duty, and the departmental heads. These will feed you with the right information on the on-goings in school.”
The Sub-county Police Commander, Julius Melly, and his Administration Police counterpart, John Mulei, said illicit liquor consumption and bhang smoking are the common trigger factors for school unrest and require concerted efforts from all stakeholders to deal with.
They urged the principals to rapidly share information with them whenever they notice signs of pending unrest so that they can intervene and prevent its occurrence.
Principals who spoke during the meeting said abdication of parental responsibilities; drug and substance abuse are the major factors fuelling indiscipline and school unrest.
St Augustine Mlimani Secondary School Principal Fernandez Musi, whose school experienced a fire incident mid-September, urged fellow principals to be on the ground and always vigilant.
He cautioned the principals against admitting students from other schools without due diligence.
By Melechezedeck Ejakait
