Protecting learners your key mandate, school management boards told

Boards of Management (BoM) and Parents Associations (PA) managing schools have been asked to put learners first as their core priority.

The boards’ training in Kakamega North Sub-County was told that they should give learners all the necessary attention to ensure that learning is not interrupted at the learners’ expense.

While taking them through the dos and don’ts as board officials, the Sub-County Director, Teachers Service Commission (TSC), Remjus Otieno, stated that both the Board of Management (BOM) and Parents Association (PA) were the commission’s eyes on any ills being committed by teachers against learners in various learning institutions.

The director said the teaching profession was facing many challenges that could only be addressed through strong boards instituted across schools.

He notably pointed out that corporal punishment has continued to thrive in schools despite its ban and should be stopped for the safety of both the learner and the teacher inflicting it.

“The Kenya Basic Education Act 2013, Section 36, strictly condemns and prohibits both corporal punishment and mental harassment of learners across the country, and those found culpable risk being fined up to KSh 100,000 and imprisonment of up to six months, or both. It is unfortunate that this practice has refused to stop in schools, and I caution those teachers involved in the vice that if found and brought to my office for redress, I will not be lenient with you, for it is a law that you should follow to the letter,” he stated.

Otieno said most learners across the country were being subjected to sexual immoral behaviour, including lesbianism, sodomy, sexual flirtations and carnal knowledge, from the very teachers who should be protecting them.

He called on Boards of Management to ensure that all teachers within their schools adhere to the Code of Conduct and the Basic Education Act for learning to continue as normal.

The director told board officials to ensure they collect substantial evidence in cases where a teacher has either assaulted or harmed a learner so that it can be used to press the necessary charges and determine the next course of action to be taken against the culprit.

He reminded the boards that they were the strongest pillar in the school and should work closely with relevant stakeholders to create a conducive learning environment for both learners and teaching staff.

He challenged them to be on the lookout for teachers’ negligence of duty, insubordination, infamous conduct, desertion of duty and immoral behaviour, which are common offences committed by teachers, and to ensure they have sufficient supporting evidence before presenting the accused teacher before the commission.

Otieno, however, said the commission had initiated the Teachers’ Induction, Mentorship and Coaching (TIMEC) programme to support teachers in improving professional conduct and boosting learning outcomes.

“TIMEC entails school-based training where at least five teachers per school are trained. Please let it be known that it is there to encourage and support our teachers’ performance and not to replace discipline in schools.”

He encouraged boards to embrace their mandate of supporting teachers in their respective schools by, among other things, providing housing for them and ensuring the school has appropriate furniture, decent sanitation facilities, enhanced team building and bonding, and a conducive and better environment for both teachers and learners.