TSC recalls staff after teacher's brutal murder in Kitui

An undated picture of Daisy Mbaluka Mbathe, the teacher of Ndooni Primary School in Kitui East, who was burned to death on January 6, 2020. PHOTO | COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • On Thursday teachers' unions, including the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teacher’s (Kuppet) and the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut), also condemned the killing of the teacher and called on the police to investigate the matter and have the culprits face the law.

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) on Thursday withdrew all teachers from Ndooni Primary School in Kitui where a teacher was hacked to death and her body burnt in a protest by parents over poor examination results.

TSC Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia condemned the incident and condoled with the victim's family, friends and teachers of the school.

SECURITY

“The Commission has, with immediate effect, withdrawn the six TSC teachers who have been working at the school,” she said in a statement signed by the director of administration.

Mrs Macharia said the commission will not post any teacher to the school until the security of teachers is certain.

“The commission wishes to inform the public that it takes the safety of teachers seriously; further, the commission will not hesitate to take necessary measures, including petitioning for the closure of institutions where the security of teachers is at risk,” said Mrs Macharia.

On Thursday teachers' unions, including the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) and the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut), also condemned the killing of the teacher and called on the police to speedily investigate the matter and have the culprits face the law.

Kuppet Secretary-General Akelo Misori said he had written to the TSC to withdraw all teachers from the school.

He also asked Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha to close the school immediately to allow investigation into the incident.

“We condemn this heinous act in the strongest terms possible. It is inconceivable that learning can take place in the environment created by this killing.

We, therefore, urge Prof Magoha to close the school to allow proper investigations into this heinous crime,” he said.

BRUTAL ATTACK

The victim, Daisy Mbaluka Mbathe, was attacked by parents with machetes on Monday before they burnt her body in broad daylight.

Witnesses said angry parents went to the school looking for the headteacher to attack him because of  mass failure of KCPE candidates in the 2019 test.

However, when they did not find the headteacher, they ejected Mbathe from the school and later attacked her.

Mr Misori termed the incident cruel and brutal.

Kuppet has also written to the Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti to investigate the incident.

Kuppet also wants Mr Kinoti to investigate similar cases in schools where parents protesting poor examination results have invaded institutions and attacked or evicted teachers.

Mr Misori said exam failure cannot warrant the wanton criminality being perpetrated by parents around the country.

Kuppet Chairman Omboko Milemba and Kuppet Deputy Secretary-General Moses Nthurima also called for speedy investigations.

Knut Secretary-General Wilson Sossion said the parents should be investigated, arrested, charged and convicted according to the law.

“We call on the Ministry of Education and that of Interior and Coordination of National Government to act with speed and bring to book the perpetrators of violence on teachers,” he said.

Other incidents of teachers being attacked have been reported in North Eastern region, North Rift, Western Region and South Nyanza region.

According to Knut, incidents of parents attacking and molesting teachers are on the rise and have caused panic, fear and anxiety among teachers.