Education CS George Magoha has reacted to the video of a Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) student crying while lamenting harsh punishment from his teachers.
The class eight pupil at Nyamninia Primary School noted that he was being subjected to harsh punishment for failing to attain 400 marks.
Reacting to the heartbreaking video, CS Magoha said the law is against corporal punishment in schools and recommended the sacking of the teachers involved.
The CS maintained that caning of pupils will not improve their situation but make them rebellious and against the system.
“It is totally against the law to apply any stick on a child as the law currently stands, my personal opinion notwithstanding. It is savage to cane a child like you are caning an animal,” CS Magoha said.
Adding;
“Anybody who did some teaching and pedagogy at any level should know that if the child has performed well and you want them to do better, caning will not improve, it will just inspire some rebellion from the child.”
CS Magoha advised teachers to involve parents in such cases rather than forcing pupils to excel by applying corporal punishment.
“You must not touch the child, call the parents of the child let them come and take the child home and we start from there
“If I as the cabinet secretary cannot cane a child, who do you think you are as an ordinary teacher to cane someone’s child like that? And for no reason at all, just that you want the child to score more than 400,” the CS stated.
Education CS George Magoha in a past press conference PHOTO/COURTESY
In the video, KCPE candidate identified as Brovin Ochido painfully narrated how two teachers punished him after failing to score 400 marks in his tests.
He noted that the beatings have become unbearable and he even contemplated harming himself than persevering the punishment.
“Nimejaribu kuvumilia lakini vile naendelea ndio wanazidi kukuchapa. Mimi naye nimechoka heri hata nipumzike nyumbani.Tu juu ya 400 marks nachapwa hivi. If they want to force 400 in me and I can’t achieve then what will I do
“Mi siezi endelea. Walikuwa walimu wawili. Lakini nimevumilia but I can’t continue learning there. Afadhali hata ujiue kuliko kufikirai vitu mingi. You can’t be in peace,” the frustrated pupil said.
The schoolboy had visible marks on his back and lower thighs.
Two teachers from the school have since been arrested in connection with the brutal beating.
According to a police report, the two teachers Paul Osogo and Maurine Otieno were arrested and taken to Yala Police Station where they are helping with investigations.
READ ALSO: Willie Kimani: Court Finds 3 Cops, 1 Informant Guilty of Murder
The two teachers will be arraigned in court on Monday to face assault charges.
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