You trained as a diploma science teacher. Did that make you a better teacher?
Yes. I trained at Kenya Science Teachers College, which produced better science teachers than universities.
It shaped me into a remarkable physics and mathematics teacher before I later advanced my training.
Your alma mater is now a constituent college of the University of Nairobi...
That was a big mistake, a tragic thing that should not have been allowed. The college produced the best maths, physics, chemistry and biology teachers. Sadly, fantastic technical institutions like Kenya and Mombasa polytechnic were also converted to university colleges.
You were once a soldier...
When I replaced the gun for the chalk after the 1982 attempted coup, I was fortunate because I joined Alliance Boys, a busy school that had a routine system like in the military. The transition was smooth.
Did you run Alliance like a soldier?
No! I simply adjusted the responsibilities of prefects and made Form Twos the guardians of Form Ones.
I also subjected prefects to an elective process and abolished corporal punishment. Government and other schools took the cue from me.
Didn’t banning corporal punishment increase student indiscipline?
I didn’t leave a vacuum. I established a system for students to report grievances anonymously. I introduced weekly meetings and gave students a chance to evaluate teachers by indicating their expressing explore their strengths and areas that needed improvement.
Students were freer and went to bed by 8.30pm. They also went for three-kilometre walks every afternoon. But those who misbehaved lost that privilege. Every student had to participate in a sport thrice a week. This kept them busy and built their confidence. I learnt these tricks through visits to top schools around the globe.
Did the boys fear you?
Students didn’t even know I was an ex-army guy. But I don’t understand why they nicknamed me ‘Sodium!’ Those boys should tell me the genesis of this nickname!
You were transferred to Kamusinga High School when it was a mess. How did you fix it?
I reported at the end of 1995 when the school was closed. The Kamusinga of the 1970s was no more. Drugs, bullying and all manner of indiscipline had taken over. I engaged the community around the school and they gave me names of the bullies, those who smoked bhang and drunk alcohol.
I met the bullies and made them my friends and we agreed that things had to change. I held meetings with teachers daily to plan for the day. I abolished daytime exams and banned prefects and teachers from caning students.
Only the deputy principal and I could administer corporal punishment. There were complaints, but I was steadfast. I kicked out over 20 students and soon Kamusinga was back on track.
Should prefects discipline fellow students?
Because you also want to cultivate leadership, there is some level of punishments, like washing classrooms and weeding flowerbeds, that prefects can administer.
But these punishments must be closely supervised by teachers, properly documented and explained to every student.
Who were the most difficult students you ever dealt with as a teacher?
One is Fred Ollows, the former development manager at Kenya Rugby Football Union. He always questioned things and hated the system, but I think I misunderstood him. He performed well and is today my friend.
Likewise, George Kegoro, (now an advocate of the High Court, newspaper columnist and executive director of the International Commission of Jurists-Kenya) was always challenging the system when I was a senior master. But I later realised that ‘difficult’ boys are just curious.
How should schools deal with bullying and homosexuality?
Students have hormonal upheavals in their bodies, so schools should not run away from these issues. They should invest in experts. Students caught in these things should be counselled and helped instead of being vilified
What do you think went wrong at Alliance with regard to the recent reported cases of bullying?
The school compromised the elements that used to define its traditions and focused too much on academics. I don’t understand why teachers caned students and students caned fellow students. The school was defined by a prayer about the mind, body and character.
It was founded on Christian values. It was the only school founded by an alliance of four churches (PCEA, AIC, Methodist and Anglican Church). I think the school stopped investing in some areas and in the process, character, was compromised.
What challenges does the modern day school principal face?
Student population and quality school facilities have not grown proportionally. I left Alliance High School with a population of 800 students, but now the population has doubled. This congestion is frustrating for teachers and students.
Principals should resist additional number of students not accompanied by infrastructure development.
What was your highest moment as a school teacher?
Taking Alliance High School back to position one after poor performance for 10 years, and retaining 100 poor boys in school until they finished.
For instance, Joel Mwaura who hailed from Thika slums could not afford fees. Today, Mwaura is a senior analyst at Bermuda Monetary Authority in the United Kingdom.
There was also a time when seven new students did not turn up for admission. I published their names in the newspapers and six showed up with touching stories. I realised that one had been duped to sell his position and I kicked out his replacement.
And your lowest moment?
In 2003, an anonymous letter was dropped in dormitories and around the school and media houses, claiming that I took money from Americans and built a Sh15 million house in Karen.
The allegations hit me hard. I was grilled by anti-corruption officials and an audit team from the Ministry of Education.
They were shocked to find that I had less than Sh100,000 in my account and that the house I lived in was allocated to me by the school.
