MPs Question Why 9 Students Were Not Punished for Assault on Teachers

The National Assembly Education Committee was on Friday perplexed after the Ministry of Interior officials reported that nine students who assaulted teachers at Chalbi High School, Marsabit County, were yet to be punished.

Committee chairperson Julius Melly expressed concern that the students had not been arrested a month after they beat up six teachers at the school.

"We should not allow students to attack teachers and those who do so should be dealt with accordingly," he cautioned.

A standoff is at play at the school after parents of the boys claimed that their sons were justified to attack the teachers after continuous provocation.

[caption caption="Entrance to Chalbi High School in Marsabit where student beat up six teachers and seriously injured three"][/caption]

"A number of Form four students blamed three teachers for insulting and abusing them. Our culture takes seriously such issues and hence the boys wrote letters to the school administration on the same at first.

"It is clear that our children were being harassed, intimidated and demotivated by the said teachers. We know our children took law into their own hands but we want thorough investigations into the incident," one parent Mr Guyo Isaak told Daily Nation.

Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed termed the scenario as a regrettable turn of events where parents had opted to support violence against teachers.

"It is sad that the parents are supporting the activities of their children. If we do not get the students we will have them arrested," she assured during a Tuesday meeting with the committee.

Teachers' Service Commission CEO Nancy Macharia reiterated: "We have to protect the teachers at all cost from attacks by students. The emerging trend by terror groups to specifically attack non-local teachers has worsened the situation.

"This has negatively affected teacher distribution as courts are persuaded to uphold the right to life over any other right," the TSC official stated.

[caption caption="Education Committee Chair Julius Melly (R) accompanied by ODM nominated MP and KNUT Secreatry General Wilson Sossion during a past presser at Parliament"][/caption]

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