By Standard Team
Pupils in schools in Central devised ways of learning without teachers as their caretakers went on strike.
The bright pupils, especially in upper classes took the responsibility and taught their juniors.
And in some areas, the striking teachers had to brave police teargas as they demonstrated on the streets.
As the strike called by the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) kicked off learning was paralysed in all public primary schools.
At some institutions visited by The Standard, the best pupils in the every subject played the teacher’s role.
At Nyeri Primary School, top performers in taught fellow pupils in lower classes.
However, in some schools, pupils were sent back home by the head teachers.
And a spot check in many secondary schools revealed while many teachers were present, little learning took place.
Some teachers who spoke on condition of anonymity said that despite the pay package offered by the Government being favourable to them, they stood in solidarity with their primary school colleagues.
"We believe we can still get more under Knut. Though we are in school many of us are not teaching," said a high school teacher.
A similar go-slow was reported in secondary schools in Meru, Embu, Mbeere, Thika and Laikipia where some teachers joined their primary counterparts in street demonstrations.
Safety of pupils
At Nanyuki High School, Inooro, Thingithu, Sweetwaters, Narumoru Boys and St Monica’s Munyaka secondary schools, about half of teachers were in school, but they refused to teach. In Kieni West, primary school committee chairmen visited the deserted schools where they sent the pupils back home.
"We fear for the safety of these pupils in the absence of teachers. Now that the teachers are on strike, we have no option but send them home," said one school chairman.
At Nyeri’s Dedan Kimathi-Kamukunji Grounds, the teachers declared they would not resume classes until the Government met their demands.
Led by Knut branch Secretary Samuel Kanake the teachers then marched through the Kimathi Way to their union offices.
"We are urging you to keep as far as you can from the gates of the institutions until you receive any communication from the union," said Kanake.
In the larger Meru and Gatundu in Thika, scores of teachers were injured when police broke up their prayer meetings.
And three of them were arraigned in a Chuka court charged with inciting their colleagues to participate in the strike.
— Reports by Moses Njagih, Patrick Muriungi, Mary Kamande, Munene Kamau, Job Weru and Boniface Gikandi
