By Jeckonia Otieno

Imagine schooling for eight years, preparing for exams, rehearsing the exams on a Monday, availing yourself at the examroom early the following morning ready for day one of the exams, but you are denied the chance to sit it because you have ‘long hair’!

The story of 15-year-old John Ndichu sounds like a well-scripted farce laced with accusations, counter-accusations and conflicts reminiscent of a drama theatre but one fact remains, he missed his KCPE examinations this year despite having registered as a candidate.

The boy from Githunguri Primary was ejected from the examroom just minutes to start of the first KCPE exam paper, by the head teacher Stephen Chuchu, just to do a haircut.

And now his guardians describe what followed as a well-choreographed attempt to cover up for the headteacher’s deed. In this they even adversely mention Githunguri DEO Jennifer Meeni as trying to shield Mr Chuchu.

When Education visited orphaned boy’s home, he was evidently traumatised and could not just talk about the issue until after much reassurance he was safe talking. He then opens up and gives us the story in bits.

Series of face-offs

“I would have loved to be journalist just like you, but now that is dream lost,” he starts with a rather forlorn look, his gaze fixed on some unknown distant future.

He recalls a series of events and face-offs, some even with Githunguri DC Fredrick Ndunga, but poor Ndichu concludes “all hope of ever making it in life is gone”.

The DC admits having told off the boy and casually advising him to wait for the exams next year. Ndunga explains his response, saying, at first, he found the boy’s story a bit bull and cock.

“However, when I realised the severity of the matter, I referred him to the DEO for amicable solution,” says the DC.

With tears Ndichu remembers too well what happened that morning. “I got to school in time ready to sit my exams when Mr Chuchu came and asked me to leave the school and go shave my hair. He is the school head teacher and I had no option but to go.”

Apparently, that was not the first time the boy was having a tiff with the school head. Ndichu claims the teacher, in May, meted out violence on him to the extent of dislocating his arm. In the May incident the boy says he had missed a school day due to illness and when he reported the following day, pupils had been asked to carry sticks to take measurements of the playground but he did not have one.

“I had not carried the stick because I was not in school the previous day. All hell broke loose as Chuchu beat me and injured my arm. I remember he also beat another girl till she peed on herself,” says Ndichu.

The boy left school to report this to his 74-year-old grandmother Alice Njeri. She was unwell and Ndichu was accompanied by a neighbour back to school. The teacher had left for the day and had to wait for the following day.

Njeri says, “When I arrived at the school, the head teacher welcomed me into his office but on realising I came to him over Ndichu, asked me to leave his office immediately. He literally ejected me from his office. We went back home.”

With no hopes of being readmitted, the boy decided to prepare for exams from home. He then went to school to rehearse and sit his exams but the worst happened.

Our efforts to reach Mr Chuchu for comments were fruitless. However, a teacher from the school, who spoke on condition of anonymity, corroborated claims the head teacher stands accused of brutality and profane talk in front of teachers and parents.

The teacher claims Chuchu had sworn that the boy would not sit for the national exams.

“As far as I know Ndichu, he was disciplined and any reaction he might have had towards Chuchu could have been provoked or meant for self-defence from further attacks by the headteacher in the May incident. Chuchu came to the staffroom swearing under his breath he cannot be intimidated by such a useless boy,” says the teacher.

Message to minister

Another teacher claims Chuchu had been rejected at his previous stations due to what he called “unruly behaviour”.

Contacted for comment, Kiambu County director of education Boniface Gitau agrees there could be culpability on the part of Chuchu. He also admits getting a report on the Ndichu case, adding that there was no reason whatsoever for him to be denied chance to sit exams.

“I have done a report and forwarded it to Education PS for action and what I would advise Ndichu be registered for exams next year free of charge in the same school,” says Gitau.

However, this might be a tall order because Ndichu is unwilling to go back to Githunguri Primary. His uncle agrees it could be intimidating for Ndichu to go back to the school due to ‘stigma’.

Ms Njeri has one appeal to Education minister Mutula Kilonzo: “I kindly ask him to intervene so that the boy can sit his exams and continue with his life.”