A teacher at St. John’s Sikinwa Secondary School in Saboti Constituency, Trans Nzoia County has recorded a statement at Gituamba police post following a Saturday night incident, where he was attacked by three Form Four students.
According to Nicholas Bett, a mathematics teacher, the three boys hit him on the neck using a blunt object before attacking him with kicks and blows leaving him with injuries.
“While I was going to the washroom three boys attacked me in my house. They hit me with a blunt object, gave me some kicks and blows that made me unconscious. My neighbours came to my rescue,” Bett said.
Speaking to K24 Digital, Bett said the notorious boys vanished into thin air after executing the act.
He reported that although there was no initial confrontation between him and the boys, the students were not happy with how he handles their indiscipline cases.
“There wasn’t any bad blood between us prior to the Saturday night incident. However, I have severally handled their cases of indiscipline which is expected of me as a teacher,” Bett said.
The boys had initially visited the house of the school’s Director of Studies Job Kiboi. Luckily, he had not arrived at his home and he, therefore, escaped the attack.
“Before attacking my colleague, the said boys had visited my place where they found my wife. The boys asked for my phone number from her but instead of giving it to them she opted to ring me, luckily I was outreach,” Kiboi said.
Michael Odhiambo another teacher residing with Bett said the incident has left them worried about their personal safety.
“The other day it was Mr Bett, we don’t know who is the next target, we are actually worried and we all feel insecure discharging our duties,” Odhiambo expressed his worry.
The three teachers now want the three notorious boys arrested and charged.
KUPPET Trans Nzoia Branch Executive Secretary Furaha Lusweti condemned the act and called on the Teachers Service Commission to transfer the teachers to other schools where their safety is guaranteed.
“This act is setting a bad precedent, we strongly condemn it in the strongest terms possible. We are also asking the government to provide security to our teachers,” Lusweti appealed.
Lusweti proposed that the Ministry of Education should introduce a paramilitary course in Teacher Training Colleges and Universities so that teachers can be equipped with self-defence skills.
“This kind of behaviour is a threat to the lives of our teachers, I think it will be prudent to arm our teachers with guns so that they can use them for self-defence,” he said.
The teachers’ rights defender attributed the act to the removal of corporal punishment in Kenya.
“I think this government made a huge mistake by removing corporal punishment in our schools. Imagine parents and teachers cannot punish children because they will be charged for violation of children’s rights.
