Why parents want Karamugi Secondary School principal transferred?

JOEY KIMEU

A section of parents and board members of Karamugi Girls Secondary School in Tharaka-Nithi County want the school principal Elizabeth Wanja transferred for alleged mismanagement of the institution.

They claim during her tenure performance index has been on the decline, she has created disharmony with the former board and also with parents, misused school resources and practiced favouritism of some teachers and students while discriminating others.

John Ndung’u, a parent

In a letter authored by three parents, John Ndung’u, Jamleck Mutembei and Peter Njuguna, who are class representatives and which is addressed to TSC Tharaka Nithi County Director Abukar Hassan, they accused her of conducting a Parent Associations elections contrary to the Education Act, 2013.

They claimed she acted as the returning officer and a voter in addition to coercing two teachers to vote for the candidate that she wanted, in her intentions to have a chairperson that she would manipulate.

They claimed that she acted in subordination of both the Board of Management and Parents Association who unanimously wanted the elections held during the second term but she disregarded them and called for the election on March 18 this year.

They also claim that the teaching fraternity is a divided house where teachers who do not pledge loyalty to her live in fear of being victimized through instigated transfers to hostile areas.

They said one of the affected teachers was a Catholic priest. The school is sponsored by the Diocese of Meru. 

“The principal has failed to post good results for the school, despite us parents providing her with a very good environment and resources. Children live in fear and the end results being poor results,” read the letter.

The parents further allege that the principal is using the proceeds of a fundraiser held in April to bribe education officials to bar her transfer from the school.

Some BOM members, the community and a teacher that we contacted said they stand with the demands made by the parents and want the principal relocated to another location for the school to restore its lost glory.

They claimed that even the school sponsor wants the principal to transferred from the institution due to the complaints raised.

However, we could not reach the Diocese Education Secretary Fr Lawrence for his comment.

One of the complaining parent Mr Ndung’u claims the principal implicated eight students with offences that they never commented and expelled them from the school.

 “She implicated them because she had bad blood with parents who resisted her attempts to impose a Parents Association chairperson who was her favourite,” claims Ndung’u in a letter he has addressed to Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha.

Contracted, the principal rubbished the allegations as work of propaganda by a few parents who wanted to have their way in the election of Parents Association representative but failed.

She said the issue of the girls being found with drugs was factual and appropriate action was taken including counselling the girls who are now back in school.

She said the complaining parent Mr Ndung’u, willingly, transferred his daughter to a different school on Tuesday. The parent insists he was forced by unavoidable circumstances to transfer his daughter.

Contacted, Tharaka Nithi TSC Director Abukar Hassan confirmed he had received a complaint from the parents, ordered an investigation and made appropriate recommendations to TSC.

A source intimidated to Candle News that Hassan had recommended that the principal be transferred.

Regional Education Coordinator Patrick Khaemba also confirmed receiving the complaint from the parents adding that he directed for quality standards assessment.

He said appropriate action was being taken.

He said the six aggrieved parents had their children enlisted for indiscipline and being linked to drugs abuse.

Khaemba said the teacher had been at the school for over six years and had made improvements in infrastructure while the student population was on the rise.

He said the decline in performance was not just in that school and could have been out of the reforms in the education sector.