Schools send students back home, due to ongoing teachers' strike

It has now been a week since schools reopened for the final term of the year amidst the ongoing nationwide high school teachers strike.

In the past week, we have seen secondary school teachers on the streets demonstrating in various counties across the country.

In Nakuru, the last protest was witnessed on Friday with the message from the educators being clear that they will not back down until their demands are met.

Earlier in the morning today, the reality of the teachers strike hit when some students who had reported in their respective schools were sent home.

Mtaa Wangu met students roaming the streets of Nakuru ferried into the town centre by matatus, clad in their full school uniforms.

Upon inquiry, John Kamau* one of the students says after reporting to school, lessons did not take place. However, the school program was being followed under the supervision of their teachers.

“We would wake up, go to preps and then spend the whole day reading by ourselves with no learning from teachers taking place,” he says.

He adds that some of the form four students opted to remain in school as the Principal made it optional for those willing to stay.

Another student from a girl school gives a similar opinion. She describes the stay in school for the last week as tiresome.

“Ever since we reported, we have just been in school with no learning taking place and honestly it was cumbersome. The thought that the term is likely to be extended because of the time lost due to the strike is very upsetting,” she says.

Mtaa Wangu can independently report that some of the schools that have released their students back home include Kanjuri Boys High School in Karatina, Nyeri County and Meru School.

At Jomo Kenyatta High School on the other hand, a student revealed that the idleness sparked by lack of engagement from the teachers sparked an unrest.

The unrest which started yesterday in the section of the school housing the male students escalated in the morning forcing both the girls and boys to be released to go home.

A source in the school says the male students damaged some of their classroom windows during the melee.

The incident was confirmed by Bahati sub-county Directorate of Criminal Investigation officer Josephine Wambui who confirms that the unrest was purely caused by the students who wanted to go home because they were not being taught.