The whereabouts of the Alliance High School teacher recently implicated in a grooming scandal remain unknown, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has revealed.
Ogamba made the revelation during a function on Wednesday, July 23, adding that the internal and external investigations had been launched to establish all the facts surrounding the case.
“We are working closely with police. As a government, we have a strict policy of no grooming and no inappropriate advances towards students. If we find any teacher involved, male or female, legal action will be taken,” Ogamba said.
Earlier in July, a report from an investigation revealed disturbing allegations against the male teacher. In the report, former and current students accused the long-serving teacher, who led the Christian Union of inappropriate acts, which allegedly extended beyond the school.
A report by Africa Uncensored claimed the teacher used his position to form strong bonds with vulnerable girls, leading to non-consensual physical encounters.
Ogamba confirmed on Wednesday that since the incident went viral, the Ministry's field officers had been deployed in schools to collaborate with Boards of Management (BOMs) and school heads to identify any other individuals potentially involved and ensure accountability.
The CS further emphasised the government's zero-tolerance approach towards forms of misconduct in schools, saying, “We’ve told our officers to go into the schools and work with headteachers and boards to ensure that anyone implicated faces the full force of the law.”
Ogamba 's statement came days after pressure was applied to the government by women's groups including The Federation of Women Lawyers in Kenya (FIDA-Kenya) , who called on everyone who played a part in facilitating the rogue teacher's actions to be brought to book.
"The Ministry must also implement institutional mechanisms for students to report malpracitse. without fear of retaliation. Finally, the Ministry must provide clear and enforceable measures to ensure the safety and dignity of all learners," FIDA stated.
Besides the Alliance High School incident, Ogamba also addressed the recent spate of strikes in High Schools with an instructions to school heads.
“Normally when exams are around the corner, some unrest arises. But we have advised our headteachers and field officers to work with the students, listen to them, and encourage them so that they don’t panic and can proceed with their exams,” Ogamba noted.
The latest incident of unrest saw Nakuru Girls High School closed indefinitely on Wednesday, as students protested exam scheduling.
