Board, parents of Isiolo Boys’ bar newly appointed Principal from accessing office

 

Isiolo Boys’ High School

The Board of Management and parents of Isiolo Boys’ High School have barred a newly appointed Principal from accessing office, and accused the Teachers’ Service Commission (TSC) of failure to honor the agreement they had with the board on Thursday.

The Board says that in the meeting they held with TSC, they had categorically resolved not to work with the new principal over alleged cases of irresponsibility and poor academic performances in a number of schools that he headed before.

Led by the BOM Chairman Mohamed Boru and Parents and Teachers’ Association Chairman Ismail Ali Galma, they barricaded the Principal’s office and vowed not to allow him to take charge until the TSC appoints a person with acceptable character.

They argued that the newly posted Principal was rejected by parents in a number of other schools in other counties due to irresponsibility, absenteeism and general poor academic performances, and would therefore water down the gains already made during the last few years.

Wabera ward MCA Salesio Kiambi said that it was ill advised for the Teachers Service Commission to give a deaf ear to the complaints made by the board of management and parents, and go ahead to post the teacher who the major stakeholders had clearly rejected.

Parents expressed dissatisfaction with the timing of transferring both the Principal and his deputy at a time when the National Examinations were just a few months away, claiming that the move has affected preparations, since the transferred teachers were tasked with handling some subjects for the Form Four exam candidates and preparations were in top gear.

They further accused a commissioner at TSC and a local politician of meddling with affairs of schools in Isiolo through arbitrary transfer of teachers who are deemed to perform well, and replacing them with those who have disciplinary issues.

The parents and board members vowed not to allow the “rejected” Principal to occupy office, adding that they will take to the streets if their wish is not respected by the commission.

By Bruno Mutunga