Ministry of Education probes bullying in secondary schools

By Margaret Kalekye/Release

The Ministry of Education is carrying out investigations into allegations of bullying of form one students in secondary schools, the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Dr. Fred Matiang’i has disclosed.

Dr. Matiang’i said children must stay in schools where they are treated well, saying bullying and mistreatment of students was a primitive and backward practice which should have gone of modern school system.

The CS made the remarks when he graced the 24th Thanksgiving Speech and Prize giving ceremony at Utawala Academy within Administration Police Training College (A.P.T.C) in Nairobi today. He was flanked by the Commandant of A.P.T.C, Peter Mureithi and the school’s head teacher, Mr. Cyrus M. King’ori.

Dr. Matiang’i promised to continue making random inspections of schools as he did last year.

He said it was important that Education officials not only visit but experience the school and ensure that children sleep, eat and learn from.

He said school administrators had a responsibility to ensure children live to ensure the conditions are comfortable.

“You cannot run a school where children sleep like rats and you have a nice office,” Dr. Matiang’i said.

He said the government could save about 25% of the cumulative cost of textbooks if it cut off middlemen in the distribution of textbooks in schools.

He said the money saved could be allocated to boost funds for co-curricular activities in schools and fund expansion and modernization of school infrastructure.

He praised the board of management of Utawala Academy saying the school the confidence and vigor the students projected in speech and in choirs showed that the school took good care of the children.