Police in Bomet County have launched investigations into an incident where a class six pupil committed suicide after allegedly being humiliated by her classmates over menstruation.
The deceased minor, Jackline Chepngeno was reportedly ordered to go home by a female teacher at Kabiangek primary school in Konoin constituency after she soiled her dress upon experiencing her first ever menstrual period while in class.
The 14-year-old girl from poor background went home and narrated her ordeal to her parents at the nearby Chemelet village and shortly afterwards committed suicide on her way to a well to collect water to clean her clothes.
The Bomet County Commissioner (CC), Geoffrey Omoding directed the County Director of Education, Mabale Indiatsi to tour the school and establish why the girl could not be provided with sanitary pads when her menstrual periods broke.
The CC wants the education officials to involve detectives in unraveling details of the death of the pupil.
“Schools have been supplied with sanitary towels and it beats logic how a pupil could be chased away to go home for pads instead of being issued with them at school,” Mr Omoding said.
Police lobbed tear gas canisters to disperse parents who were demonstrating outside the school on Tuesday with five of them being arrested and later released.
The school was hurriedly closed as teachers sent the children packing after hundreds of irate parents stormed the school.
The Konoin Sub County Police Commander, Alex Shikondi said the body is lying at Kapkatet sub county hospital mortuary to await a postmortem and subsequent release to the family for burial.
By Joseph Obwocha
