Nairobi, KENYA: Acting Cabinet Secretary for Education Dr. Fred Matiangi has ordered the arrest of anyone trying to block the transfer of school principals across the country.
Matiangi who was addressing county commissioners in Nairobi on Friday said that it is primitive for some MCAs in some county perpetuating the act of ignorance, by trying to force out some of the school principals that had been transferred to various schools as per the Teacher Service Commission directive.
He said that the MCAs that will be caught in the process will be arrested and presented before the magistrates for the law to take its cause.
“We have had this backward behavior for long. If today MCAs tell us who will be principal, then tomorrow they will choose their commissioners. It will not happen and they need to understand this.” He warned.
“All public servants, wherever you are you have to serve anywhere in this country. How primitive do we want to be? We will not accept this behavior. How can you organize people to eject teachers from a school?” He said.
He further urged those with any kind of a problem to use the right channel in addressing their grievances but not the back door.
“We have a responsibility. If they want to discuss things, the TSC is here. When you have a complaint, go to the commissioners and discuss them.” He added.
Matiang’i added that some of the reasons why some principals find it hard to go, is because they have been accruing debts and are faced with corruption cases.
“In some schools where audits were done, principals have debts of Sh62 million, money that they use and hide,” he said.
In the recent days, there has been an uproar by members of the public and politicians following the transfers of 557 head teachers by the Teachers Service Commission TSC.
In Makueni, six MCAs were arrested on Thursday for blocking a new principal’s access to her office at St Joseph’s Girls’ High School on Thursday.
In Bungoma, leaders have said they will set aside politics and protect the schools they worked hard to build. One of these leaders is NASA principal, Senator and Ford Kenya boss Moses Wetang’ula.
