The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has now turned its sights on the Health and Education Ministries in the aftermath of the Mukumu Girls’ High School tragedy.
In a statement to the media on Wednesday, KUPPET Secretary General Akelo Misori said the union would seek legal redress against the two ministries following the death of a teacher who also worked as a boarding mistress at the institution.
The union also threatened to sue over what it sees as the unfair dismissal of Mukumu Girls’ Principal Frida Ndolo, calling the move an attempt at a cover-up.
Misori, who accused the two ministries of failing to provide adequate infrastructure, claimed that the situation at Mukumu had been exacerbated by overcrowding.
“We are the representative of the people and can sue on behalf and have the legitimate mandate to do that…in the circumstances, our member has died because of their negligence,” he said.
“We are suing the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education on behalf of the families who may not have the voice to do the same. We must sue and demand for damages…they must pay and I know every court in this land will listen to us.”
Misori chastised Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu for replacing Principal Ndolo with Sr Jane Mmbone Wamukoya, claiming that the government was only looking for someone to blame for their mistakes.
“The ministry has problems of compliance, as long as no deaths or diarrhoea has been reported, nobody cares for compliance,” he noted.
“The deceased (teacher) is the person who has been taking what the children have been eating…they have died because they’re the boarding mistress.”
According to the KUPPET Secretary General, the 100 per cent transition which resulted in an increase in the number of students in most schools in Western Kenya has strained resources and thus caused health concerns.
“A school of 2,028 is an equivalent of a sub-location in some jurisdiction of this country which has got two health centres,” he stated.
“How did the Ministry of Education say that you must admit more than the number of students required in a school like Mukumu whose capacity according to the establishment is supposed to have only 600 students?”
“When the school was compelled to admit under the 100 per cent capacity transition from primary school was it enabled to have the requisite infrastructure in the school?” he posed.
According to KUPPET, forcing headteachers to retire and dissolving the board is a cover-up, and that instead of a knee-jerk reaction, Education CS Machogu should form a team to review the safety of learning institutions.
“Punishing Madam Ndolo undermines the need to find a solution where she had no control. KUPPET is not amused with the trends of events where victims are penalized on the events that are beyond them,” noted Misori.
