Matiang’i visits Keveye Girls, orders punishment for teachers filmed caning students

Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has ordered swift disciplinary action against teachers at a Vihiga school who were filmed mercilessly caning students.

Dr Matiang’i, who made an impromptu visit to Keveye Girls Secondary School on Thursday morning, said he was compelled by media reports about heavy caning of students at the academic hub in Western Kenya.

“I cannot come all the way from the headquarters and nothing happens. Action must be taken based on the report I will be provided with on Monday. I will not discuss details here,” Dr Matiang’i told journalists after a 15-minute closed door meeting with the school’s principal Mrs Judith Ngome and the teachers.

The footage posted on Facebook on Tuesday shows four teachers — three men and a woman — standing in line and heavily caning the students in the school’s staff room.

REPORT

The students, like cows lined up in a slaughterhouse, wait in line, terrified as they wait for their turn to be beaten.

The Education CS also directed the school’s board of management, the county directors of education and the Teachers Service Commission to meet in the afternoon and give him a report on their findings by Monday next week.

“The incident of canning will be addressed. The officials will look into the matter. I would like to deal with this matter in a professional way considering the codes of conduct and ethics,” said the Education CS.

He called on the education stakeholders against dragging politics into the matter.

Dr Matiang’i was accompanied by the Principal Secretary in charge of vocational and technical training Dr Dinah Mwinzi, head of TSC teacher management Mrs Mary Rotich, Vihiga County director of education Ms Ann Kiilu, and her TSC counterpart Mr Stephen Mudho.

Dr Matiang’i went round the classes and the dormitories to assess the safety of the facilities.

Since assuming office in November, Dr Matiang’i has taken the ministry by storm; visiting institutions and holding school heads to account on site, tough talks on school fees and closing down on the Musau Ndunda-led Kenya National Parents Association.

CANNING BANNED

“After reading the story in the paper and receiving phone calls from leaders from this area, I thought it is necessary for me to come here today,” the CS told the more than 1,300 students.

He went on: “I have seen that your dormitories are congested. The ministry will help correct that. The issue of the teacher shortage has also been brought to my attention.”

The government banned corporal punishment, particularly caning, in schools in 2001.

The video, said to have been recorded by one of the teachers, was posted on Facebook on Tuesday evening and immediately went viral.

On Wednesday, TSC said a committee had been set up to investigate the matter.

(READ: TSC forms committee to investigate teacher brutality at Keveye Girls)

In the video, when four teachers are done with the students in the staff room, the learners are then passed over to yet another teacher waiting at the door for more caning.

The video — whose authenticity the Nation could not verify — was recorded last year just before the schools closed for December holidays, but surfaced this week.

On Wednesday, the principal, Ms Ngome, read malice on the timing of the release and blamed bad blood among her teachers for the turn of events.