Kirimon Primary School closed after pupil beat teachers

A man displays a machete. Kirimon Primary School has been closed indefinitely after pupils attacked and injured their teachers. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Witnesses said Standard Six boys went to classes with clubs and machetes, protesting against being punished by female teachers.

  • Teachers who attempted to save their colleagues were also beaten up.

  • The same fate befell parents and residents who rushed to the school to help the teachers and the policeman.

  • Twelve of the boys who reportedly led the attack were identified as among those suspended from school last week for misbehaviour.

Kirimon Primary School on the Samburu-Laikipia counties border has been closed indefinitely after pupils attacked and injured their teachers on Monday.

Witnesses said Standard Six boys went to classes with clubs and machetes, protesting against being punished by female teachers.

Three teachers were seriously injured.

Teachers who attempted to save their colleagues were also beaten up.

They dashed into homes and surrounding bushes to escape more punishment from the ‘morans’.

ROWDY PUPILS

An attempt by an administration Police officer from Kirimon post to rescue the besieged teachers by firing several times in the air yielded no fruit.

The policeman was also injured as the rowdy pupils hurled stones at him.

The same fate befell parents and residents who rushed to the school to help the teachers and the policeman.

Learning was cut short following the incident and the more than 700 pupils ordered to go home.

CLOSED DOOR MEETING

At the time of publishing this story, Teachers Service Commission officers and other education stakeholders in Samburu County were holed up in a closed-door meeting with members of the school board of management.

It has since emerged that Monday’s attack on teachers by pupils at Kirimon Primary School was the third. 

Similar incidents took place in 2010 and 2013.

“We have experienced this before but today’s (Monday's) attack was the worst because the boys sneaked into classrooms with swords and rungus,” a shaken teacher who requested anonymity told journalists.

FEMALE TEACHERS

“As soon as one of the female teachers arrived in Standard Six for her lesson, she was attacked and seriously injured on her head and right hand.”

Twelve of the boys who reportedly led the attack were identified as among those suspended from school last week for misbehaviour.

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

Last year, the headteacher of neighbouring Soradoru Primary school was seriously injured on the head when club-wielding pupils attacked him.