The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has sent the teacher implicated in cases of sexual misconduct at Alliance Girls High School on a 30-day compulsory leave.
Acting TSC Chief Executive Officer Evaleen Mitei made the decision on Tuesday, July 25, as the probe into the embattled teacher intensifies.
The teacher is alleged to have breached multiple provisions of the Teachers Service Commission Act and the Code of Regulations for Teachers (CORT), by allegedly engaging in what the TSC termed as professional misconduct.
This follows a recent exposé by Africa Uncensored, titled The Teacher and the System, which revealed a disturbing pattern of alleged abuse dating back over 20 years.
According to the TSC, the leave is intended to allow for an independent investigation free from interference. Alliance Girls has also confirmed that it is cooperating fully with the authorities and prioritising the safety and well-being of learners.
The commission said it will inform the teacher of the outcome once investigations are complete and assured that the matter will be handled in accordance with due process as outlined in existing regulations.
During the suspension, the teacher will receive his full salary and allowances. The commission said it will inform him of the outcome of the investigations as soon as they are completed. The move followed growing public pressure after disturbing claims surfaced involving the teacher and multiple students.
Former students and staff accused the teacher of using his role as Christian Union patron and mentor to manipulate and exploit vulnerable girls.
After the damning exposé, alumni had demanded immediate action from the TSC to root out sexual predators within the school.
The alumni made the demand to the TSC during peaceful demonstrations held on Thursday, July 10, at the school over the teacher’s conduct.
Footage of the demonstrations showed the former students clad in white shirts, chanting and hoisting placards that read, "Protect the Girls, Not the Predators."
During the peaceful procession, the former students criticised the TSC for failing to respond to their initial letter. They, however, maintained that they would not relent until the perpetrator is brought to book.
Following the demonstrations, Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok demanded the arrest of the teacher as investigations into his alleged conduct continued.
Bitok, speaking at a Thanksgiving Day event at Kapkoros Barngetuny Secondary School in Nandi County, confirmed that the Ministry of Education had engaged law enforcement agencies to ensure the arrest and interdiction of the teacher.
"That teacher is going to be punished. We have talked to TSC and all the other stakeholders to ensure that he is arrested,” Bitok said.
His comments followed demands for government action by the Federation of Women Lawyers in Kenya (FIDA-Kenya) against the administration of Alliance Girls High School.
In a statement on Tuesday, July 8, FIDA Chairperson Christine Kungu, who blamed the school’s leadership for being reluctant to act against the teacher, stressed that disciplinary and legal action should be taken against all those who were in any way involved in the incidents.
Kungu had further urged the ministry to issue a directive to all schools to ensure that institutions across the country establish a clear mechanism enabling teachers to respond effectively to sexual and gender-based violence occurring within schools.
If found culpable, the future looks bleak for the teacher, despite some of the allegations dating back several years.
According to top city lawyer Danstan Omari, the teacher faces allegations of sexual grooming and exploitation of students, placing the case under Section 8 of the Sexual Offences Act. This section specifically addresses the defilement of minors aged 16 to 18, and carries a minimum sentence of 15 years imprisonment.
Omari further cited Section 6, which deals with compelling or inducing indecent acts. If the teacher is found to have coerced students into sexually suggestive behaviour or contact, he could face a sentence of not less than five years, and potentially life imprisonment.
In addition, Section 11 covers indecent acts with minors and carries a minimum sentence of 10 years. The law also allows for enhanced sentencing in cases involving repeated or aggravated violations.
Aside from the hefty jail terms, the teacher also risks being deregistered by TSC and being disbanded from the teaching practice entirely.
