By Sam Otieno and Boniface Gikandi
The secondary headteachers association has rolled out a campaign to enlist students to curb unrest after student strikes last year.
As part of the campaign, more than 1,500 secondary school students will meet in Nairobi this month to discuss issues affecting their education.
The forum organised by the Kenya National Secondary Schools Heads Association will give students from 149 districts an opportunity to discuss challenges they face while in school and assist in the diagnosis of causes of student unrest.
Already, meetings are being held at the district level to pick participants to the national conference at the Bomas of Kenya this month.
In second term last year, unrest in over 300 secondary schools resulted in loss of life, destruction of students’ and school property worth billions of shillings and disruption of the curriculum.
Schools in Murang’a South District, where many were affected by the strikes, have embraced the initiative.
The first ever students’ conference in the district was held at Ng’araria Girls’ Secondary School, and brought together more than 400 students to discuss several issues.
The students said lack of communication between teachers and students, draconian rules and poor learning and living environments, and lack of leisure were causes of the strikes.
Mr Jackson Muthike, a Form Three student at Njiiri’s High, says failure by school administration to address "students’ issues" fuels unrest and indiscipline.
The students say when teachers ignore their grievances, they resort to violence to put pressure on school heads to address the issues.
Ignite strikes
Stephen Munga, a Form Four student, says teachers ignite strikes when they fail to listen to and support students.
The students say many school rules are outdated and should be reviewed. They also complain about poor meals, and neglect of co-curricular activities.
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The students say 95 per cent of strikes could be avoided if teachers dialogue with students. Teachers, they say, are viewed as enemies and remote except for those in charge of games and drama.
Muthike is one of the eight students elected to represent the district at the national students conference that aims to foster dialogue in schools in efforts to bar unrest.
Each district will have six participants drawn from national, provincial boarding and day, and district boarding and day, special and private schools.
Schools will elect their representatives who may not be prefects.
"Students have a right to choose whoever they feel will best represent their views and perceptions," said Mr Cleophas Tirop, the association’s chairman.
He says the purpose of the conference whose theme is: Unity in diversity, will encourage participants to share views freely. "Appointment by students will give the participants the mandate to represent 1.3 million secondary school students," says Tirop.
He says 300 guidance and counselling teachers — two for each district — and PTA chairpersons from all districts will also attend the empowerment forum.
Career development
According to Tirop, participants will discuss conflict resolution, governance, drug and substance abuse, rights and responsibilities, career development and mentorship. Other topics to be discussed include HIV and Aids and talent development.
The forum comes at a time when secondary schools face turbulent times as a result of famine and internally displaced persons. Mr Peter Njangi, the Principal of Njiiri High School, says the association felt there was a need for students and school administration to engage each other. He says at Njiiri, academic clinics bring students, teachers and parents closer. "That is why we did not have students’ unrest like in neighbouring schools," says Njangi who is also the district chairman of heads association.
Mr Robinson Gakiri of Mustard Seed Trainer and Adventures says the conference allow students to discuss challenges affecting them.