School ordered to register Standard Eight pupil

Peter Karani Nduku. A school in Nakuru refused to register his daughter for KCPE terming her a slow learner. [PHOTO: BONIFACE THUKU/STANDARD]

BY LEONARD KULEI AND CHARLES NGENO

Nakuru, Kenya: Nakuru County Director of Education Esther Muiru has directed the management of Victonell School to urgently register a girl who had been denied registration for the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE).

Ms Muiru directed the school to immediately register Beth Karani and compile a report to be presented to her office within 24 hours.

This comes a day after The Standard highlighted the girl’s plight following complaints from her family. The girl had been expelled from the school and denied registration owing to her “slow learning” abilities.

“It is against the law to deny a child the chance to sit for an examination. I have visited the school and ordered they register the girl immediately,” she said.

Muiru warned other head teachers with such tendencies that they would be prosecuted. “This is serious and head teachers should know that they will be prosecuted if they do this,” she said.

Meanwhile, a teachers union termed as injustice and total violation of human rights a move by the primary school to expel Beth.

The Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers (Kusnet) demanded that the Ministry of Education should take action against the management of the school.

Kusnet Secretary General James Torome termed as unfortunate, belittling and totally uncalled for the school’s move to suggest that the pupil performance could become an embarrassment to the institution.

“It is saddening that such an injustice is taking place in our schools. Teachers must understand that we have different types of learners. Each pupil, no matter their capabilities, should be accorded the chance to learn,” said Mr Torome who called on the Government to shut down all schools that are denying pupils the chance to register for exams because of poor performance.

Agent of impunity

He accused the school Head Teacher Benson Ng’ang’a of being an agent of impunity and totally unprofessional.

“How can a teacher tell a parent who has never defaulted on fees payment to take his cries to wherever he wanted because the decision was final?” posed Torome who said education is not all about passing examinations.

He also accused Muiru of frustrating the parent’s effort in search of justice. “As a union, we demand that the County Director of Education be disciplined for being part of a wider scheme to frustrate the pupil’s access to education,” said Torome.

The school’s head teacher refused to pick calls and respond to texts sent by The Standard.