'My son is not safe in school,' Nakuru parent laments

Following the unrest at Shiners Boy High School that led to the murder of a form four student, Vincent Muchiri, a parent has come out raising concerns about her child’s safety at Anestar Premier.

Lynn Franco, the mother to Xander* (not his real name), says that her child has been receiving threats in school way back even before the national examinations started and is dissatisfied with how the school is handling the case.

Xander was reportedly assaulted by his classmates because of a flash disk that was stolen, which was later found with another student.

“When my child closed school after the lapse of the second term, I noticed him limp and enquired what had happened to him. He told me he’d been roughed up at school by his peers and wondered how I had not been informed of the incident.”

Out of concern, Lynn says she reached out to the school but her phone calls went unanswered. When she reached out to the patron, the patron, too wondered how she hadn’t been told.

According to Lynn, Xander says during the incident, the school only provided painkillers to him.

 “I took him to hospital where it was determined that he had injuries on his chest and abdomen. I did this two or three times to ascertain that he was fine,” Lynn says.

As schools approached opening for the third term, Xander raised concerns about his safety to his parent. This prompted Lynn to accompany him to school on the day of opening to probe the matter.

“This day, I met the principal, whom I asked why I had not been informed about my child's welfare, to which I was told the school had decided to resolve the case internally and even reported to the police station and saw no need to inform me. The principal added that three students had been suspended and guaranteed my son’s safety, noting that these particular students would do their exams from outside the school.”

Lynn says that at one point, Xander had run away from school but returned, and before the exams, the boys had returned.

“This prompted me to go back to school, where I’d been called to pick up a letter requesting the school to guarantee my child’s safety. It was then that I was also shown commitment letters from the accused students, accepting their mistakes and their parents and the conditions the school had given to meet supposedly. All this while I wasn’t involved,” Lynn says.

It was then suggested by the principal for them to visit Murunyu police post and report the matter. Later, the students were arrested, and their parents were contacted, who acted very arrogantly, Lynn recalls.

According to Lynn, the threats have been going on to a point where Xander’s index number sticker on his desk has been put an ‘x’.

“All I can say is that I did not get the help I wanted because even at the police post, the students still threatened my son. I brought my dissatisfaction up later on to the major at the police post, who told me the case had been closed and to report my issue to the main station, where it was said that they’d resume with the case once the exams were done,” Lynn says.

She adds with frustration, “I am frustrated, and what I want now is justice for my son. In fact, after hearing the saga at Shiners Boys High School, I want something done and done very fast.”

On his part, the Director of the School, Peter Ngigi, says that immediately after the incident happened, the parent was informed, and the case was referred to the police as the school does not condone any type of violence.

“We’ve had police from Murunyu police post in Bahati sub-county, Lanet police station, and even the Directorate of Criminal Investigation follow up on the case and every day showing up at school to ensure the safety of the learners,” Ngigi says.

He adds that the parent (Lynn) withdrew the case from the police station and is not sure what more to do as they have not once tried to interfere with the case.

Ngigi denies the allegations made by Lynn that Xander is still unsafe in school and notes that since the incident, he’s made it his business to sleep over at school, and security has been beefed up, claiming that the student has not once approached him or reported to anyone that he feels unsafe.

“All the parents of the students accused are very cooperative and all of us have done whatever we can, whatever is humanly possible, and if there is something more this parent wants us to do, we will do it,” Ngigi says.

When asked about the suspension of the boys, Ngigi notes that three boys were suspended in August, right around the time of the incident, and came back to school only for their final exams as directed by the Ministry of Education to avoid exam leakage.

The County Commander, Michael Mwaura, during a phone interview, declined to comment on the matter, noting that they are still waiting for a P3 report.