Teachers beaten by pupils in Samburu seek transfer

Five female teachers at Kirimon Primary School in Samburu who were ambushed and beaten up by pupils on Monday have vowed not to go back to the institution, citing insecurity.

The teachers are demanding a transfer from the school.

This happened as Standard Six pupils, in a letter to the school’s management board, gave their reasons for beating up the teachers.

In the letter seen by the Nation and addressed to the board of management, the pupils say: “We are very sad that our school leaders are madams nowadays”.

The communication is dated June 20 and its subject is “Reason why we have beaten our school teachers”.

They claimed to have suffered in the hands of the female teachers from June 17 to June 20. “Our teachers are chasing us from school for nothing. They are denying us our right to education,” they claimed.

“Madams are the ones leading us to fail in our examinations as they chase us home,” they stated, further claiming that female teachers insult them when they go to the staffroom, calling them old.

“When you go to the staffroom to ask a question, you are chased away. That is why we have beaten up our teachers, especially madams,” the letter stated.

The school has a population of 756 pupils and 13 teachers.

The teachers said they were embarrassed by the caning. The pupils forced them to kneel down before the rest of the class and raise their hands as they apologised and pleaded to be spared.

Armed with clubs and machetes, the angry pupils attacked the teachers immediately they entered the classrooms and held them hostage.

Some of the teachers sought refuge under office desks and tables in their offices as the situation worsened. Four of the five teachers who were attacked are not from the Samburu community. This is suspected to have contributed to the boys’ anger.

NO SUBMISSION

In Samburu culture, morans (warriors) do not submit to women. Women are not supposed to talk back at them, touch or even sit close to them. It is believed the boys might have been influenced by their culture and the local community.

The five teachers told the Teachers Service Commission to quickly heed their pleas, saying they would not return to the school. This is the third such incident at the school.

They called on Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i and Kenya National Union of Teachers secretary-general Wilson Sossion to help them secure transfers.

Speaking after recording statements at Kirimon Administration Police Post on Tuesday, the teachers said their security was not guaranteed, owing to insecurity cases and gun attacks.

Kirimoni borders Laikipia.