A student showcasing marks and bruises allegedly inflicted by teachers after they failed to celebrate them from a musical competition at Maikona Girls in Marsabit County. Photo: Courtesy.
Maikona Girls Secondary School in North Horr Constituency Marsabit County, is on the limelight after 36 girls were brutally beaten by their teachers, which has seen the Ministry of Education launch investigations into the disturbing corporal punishment meted on the girls.
The incident which has sparked national outrage, according to a report by Citizen Digital, took place after students failed to celebrate the teachers’ return from a musical competition.
Eye witnesses stated that the girls had bruises, marks of whips instigated by pipes from the Bunsen Burners and blunt objects on the girls backs and limbs.
The inhumane act from the teachers was met by staged protests by parents outside the institution, who termed demanded an explanation as to why their children were handled in a brutal manner.
“Our children were treated like animals!” Their backs are torn, their skin peeled off no human being should be subjected to that,” a parent stated.
“It looked like they had been attacked with weapons. If they had used ID cards at a neighboring school instead, it would have caused less harm,” another stressed parent lamented.
The parents demanded justice for their children, and immediate removal of the teachers found culpable of their action. They further argued that they cannot tolerate an action that deems them less Kenyans.
“We are Kenyans like everyone else. We demand justice and the immediate removal of the teachers responsible. We cannot coexist with them in this area,” another angry parented remarked.
Corporal punishment in the country was outlawed in the Constitution of Kenya since the enactment of the Basic Education Act, 2013, which prohibits all forms of physical and degrading punishment. Article (3) (b) (c) of the Children Act 2022 confirms the constitutional prohibition of all forms of corporal punishment.
“Any person who subject the child to torture or other cruel and inhuman or degrading treatment, including corporal punishment,” reads the article.
However Principal Secretary for Education Julius Bitok has confirmed that the Ministry and the teachers’ employer Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is following up and investigating the matter, which was further echoed by TSC Director Hussein Mohammed echoed, who confirmed that any teacher found guilty will face disciplinary action.
“Some students were subjected to corporal punishment, which is completely outlawed. We want to remind all teachers in Kenya discipline must never cross into abuse. Let us do the right thing,” Bitok urged.
The case comes as the Ministry further is investigating a case of sexual grooming that has surrounded Alliance Girls’ High School for two decades, after an uproar and revelations from former students.
