Minister warns schools against negligence
March 16th, 2009
By Anderson Ojwang’ and Steve Mkawale
The Government will deregister Gilgil Hills Academy if police investigation proves that a pupil died at the school due to negligence.
Education Assistant Minister Ayiecho Olweny said it was unacceptable for a child to die due to negligence from the administration.
"The ministry will not hesitate to deregister the school should it be found culpable in the death. No school will be spared if found to have neglected students," he said.
Prof Olweny urged the police to expedite the investigation and furnish the ministry with the findings.
He said it was painful for the deceased’s parents, students and Kenyans that death can occur due to negligence by people entrusted to take care of children.
"I am touched and condole with the family. But let me reassure them that the ministry will act and we will not leave any stone unturned," he said.
Olweny said some private schools were only interested in money and cared less for the health of students.
And on Sunday, panic gripped the academy after parents flocked the school following a story published in The Sunday Standard on the death of a pupil.
Shocked parents
The school’s management had a rough time explaining to parents the circumstances under which Linda Chepkorir died eight months ago.
Many parents said they were shocked by an incident where the school’s director Isaac Kamunya was arrested trying to bribe a journalist not to publish the story.
‘Rivals to blame’
When The Standard team arrived at the institution on Sunday, security officers were directing parents to talk to teachers. "The teachers are here to talk to you. Just seek advise from them," a security officer told this journalist posing as a parent.
Some parents sought to speak to their children in privacy as teachers and non-teaching staff watched from a distance.
The director was not in the compound, but the principal, Beth Kanyi, talked to the parents.
The teachers told parents the story was malicious and meant to destroy the school’s reputation.
But when confronted to explain why Kamunya attempted to bribe the reporter, most had no answer.
"It was a set-up by our rivals. This thing was carefully planned," said one teacher, pleading with parents not to withdraw their children from the school.
Kamunya was arrested at Stem Hotel in Nakuru, as he tried to bribe our reporter, Mr Alex Kiprotich, with Sh70,000.
Source.standard.kenya