Janitors, cooks, guards manage students as teachers’ strike persists

The biting countrywide teachers' strike has forced some schools to use junior staff and subordinates to manage students.

In worse extremes, janitors and security guards now take patrols in turns within the school compounds to monitor any mischief.

At Nyamagwa Boys in Bobasi, Kisii County, a senior teacher admitted it was not easier pushing on in the absence of other teachers.

In their absence, school principal Jared Monyancha admitted they use guards and other junior staff to increase surveillance in the vast Catholic-run extra County school.

"What could you do if you were in my shoes? You will definitely do the same thing," Mr Monyancha told AVDelta News on Monday.

He said it was already getting cumbersome to contain the swelling student population without the teaching staff.

Only a half of the 800 strong student population had already turned up by Monday when journalists visited.

Mr Monyancha said it was important for the government to engage teachers and address their demands so that they can return to work.

"We are likely to see this affecting preparation for the Form Four exams if the strike is not handled quickly," the principal told journalists.

The school is currently struggling with infrastructural challenges with students having to bear with old laboratories.

Separately at Masimba High School, Riabigutu, and Irungu in Masaba South, few learners had reported.

"Being day schools most students have opted to stay home," a parent told journalists.

Mr Cliff Getenda, Chair of the Board at Masimba, asked parents to release students, especially the Form Four candidates so that they can return to class

He said group revision would be done well within the school compound.

No student had turned up at the school by Friday last week.

Mr Getanda said it would be ideal for the government to intervene and end the strike so that learning can resume normally.

At Amabuko Secondary the School Principal Samuel Mweruti said the attendance was still low as the strike bites.

He, however, asked the candidates to return to class as a matter of necessity.

"There shall be no extension of time… let them come and revise,," he told journalists.

Meanwhile, striking teachers continued to walk with banners on streets in Kisii town agitating for better pay and enhanced medical health schemes.

Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) officials said they would stay put until the government meets their obligations.