Theft of textbooks paralyses learning

By Osinde Obare

Education stakeholders in Trans Nzoia County are up in arms over the increasing theft of text books from local schools, a worrying development that threatens the performance of the local institutions in national examinations.

The book theft scandal has been going on across the vast county for the past few months and some parents are pointing fingers at a possible syndicate involving some teachers.

Parents suspect the thieves could be selling the books to schools in the neighbouring South Sudan or to the vendors selling text books in the streets of major towns in Western Kenya.

Thefts of school books have also been reported in other institutions in Western and Nyanza Provinces.

Several school stores have been broken into and books stolen. In some cases, the books disappear without any break-ins, raising suspicion of possible inside jobs.

The Kenya National Association of Parents (KENAP) has launched an independent investigation on the thefts of textbooks worth Sh14 million from primary schools in Trans-Nzoia County.

Teachers suspected

KENAP’s Trans-Nzoia County coordinator Benjamin Wekesa said the association would also probe to determine if there was any involvement of teachers in the syndicate. He stated the association has been disturbed by the robberies in over 20 schools in the county and has resolved to engage private investigators to help in cracking down on the attacks on schools.

The move follows reports that suspects arrested over the theft of the textbooks have implicated some teachers.

Mr Wekesa said the loss of books in the affected schools has hindered learning and a big sabotage to free primary education.

“We are concerned over the robberies and the association has resolved to engage private investigators. We are worried that theft has sabotaged the spirit of FPE,” noted Mr Wekesa.

The official stated that despite directive from the Government that the books be distributed to learners to check the thefts, some school managements had ignored.

Latest robbery

“We want to establish whether there was any involvement of teachers in these robberies and possibly identify those behind it,” he said.  The latest robbery was at Matisi Primary School within Kitale town where thieves stole books worth Sh255,000. Head teacher Robert Wanyonyi said the armed thugs struck at around 10pm. The thieves tied the watchmen before ransacking the school for books.

“The thieves gained access into the school through the fence on the secondary school side. They seized the watchmen, cut the window grills of the library and emptied the book shelves,” said Mr Wanyonyi.

According to one of the watchmen, the thieves came on a bicycle before a pick-up arrived and was loaded with the books.

“We were bundled into one of the classrooms at gunpoint. We did not resist because we feared for our lives,” said the watchman. The theft has affected the school’s population of over 1,650 pupils, most of them from poor backgrounds.

Stolen books included those for English, Kiswahili, CRE,  Maths and dictionaries.

The thugs also stole Sh7,500 meant for purchase of examinations. Two night guards were killed in Goseta and Marinda primary schools during the thefts said to be staged by well-organised criminals. Police recently arrested two suspects from a rental house in Kibomet Estate and recovered some books believed to have been stolen.

South Sudan link

It is alleged that the stolen books were sold to schools in South Sudan where the demand is high. The Country, which seceded recently from the greater Sudan, is said to be implementing educational syllabus similar to that offered in Kenya.

A number of Kenyan teachers have secured jobs in schools in South Sudan and some parents want those investigating the thefts to include the possible link between the many Kenyans teachers in the new country and the disappearance of books from the Trans Nzoia County.

Other sources say   the books stolen from the schools were later sold to vendors who sell them cheaply in the streets in major towns.

“The government should investigate the source of these old and new school text books being sold in the streets. It is highly likely these books are stolen from our schools,” said a parent who asked not to be named.

The County Weekly could not reach education officials in the County the thefts.

A number of parents interviewed however expressed fears that the increasing theft of text books from local schools would adversely affect the performance of their children.