Principals of secondary schools in Makueni County have been warned against holding students in schools as they would be destructive, the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Makueni County Executive Secretary Justus Kimeu has said.
The warning comes at a time Ngoto Boys, AIC Nyayo Girls and Makindu Girls secondary schools razed down a dormitory each due to the unrest that has occurred in some schools lately.
Consequently, Kimeu said that it is hard to retain students in school who are not being taught since teachers have heeded their union’s call to stay away from schools until their demands are met by the government.
He pointed out that the government should bear the cost of constructing the dormitories that have been burned down by students during the few days they have been at school.
“As a union we had warned the government against opening schools since teachers will be on strike. Parents have incurred unnecessary costs since they are forced to pay fare for their children to return home,” said Kimeu while speaking to the media in his Wote office on Monday.
A KNA survey has established that Makueni Boys, Mwaani Girls, Mwaani Boys, Ukia Girls, Kambi Mawe Boys, Kambi Mawe Girls, Kasikeu Boys, Makueni Girls and Kyamuthei Secondary schools have closed indefinitely.
However, Kimeu regretted this act in view of the impending examinations that students are required to sit in the next two months. However, he said that teachers are ready to return to work after the government meets their demands.
Among the demands, teachers want all the teachers on contract to be converted to permanent and pensionable, implementation of 2021-2025 collective bargaining agreement and promotion of teachers.
By Patrick Nyakundi
