By Ouma Delmartin
Students from Tendwo secondary school in Ainabkoi Sub County have protested over, among others, poor meals and lack of sufficient teachers.
The over 200 students walked several kilometres from their school to the office of the Uasin Gishu County Commissioner in Eldoret City to present their grievances.
Speaking to journalists, Uasin Gishu County Director of Education John Gitonga said the students were also demanding the transfer of their principal.
“These students started the demonstration in the morning. We tried talking to them, but they refused until they reached the office here. We have heard their issues and agreed on how to address them,” Gitonga said.
The county education officials later managed to calm down the students who agreed to return to their school.
According to the county director of Education, four teachers at Tendwo Secondary School had been transferred but they have not yet been replaced.
However, Gitonga said that he has held talks with the Teacher Service Commission (TSC) and assured the students that their demands over teacher shortage will be resolved.
On the issue of the food they eat, the education boss said “We are going to talk with their parent so that we have the right food for them.”
The students have also asked the school to ensure they have a nurse to attend to their medical issues.
However, Gitonga said only boarding schools are required to hire a nurse.
Because it is a day school, we’ll link with community health workers so that their grievances are discased fully,” he said.
Gitonga has also said that the issue of board management in the school, which students have complained about and mentioned as bad, is an issue that deserves to be highlighted in detail as well.
The students also wanted the disbandment of the school’s board of management which they claimed was weak.
