Magoha warns against corporal punishment after pupil assault
Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha has maintained that corporal punishment is schools is illegal and warned school administrators against the vice.
Speaking in reference to a case where a Standard Seven pupil at Gremon Education Centre in Bamburi, Mombasa was reportedly beaten by the school director, he said violators of the law must be arrested and prosecuted.
“You are not allowed to beat up a child, anybody who lifts his hands and hits a child under the current laws, should be arrested, it’s against the law,” the CS said.
Magoha further asked authorities to completely shut down the school and the learners be transferred to public schools immediately.
“If the school is not registered, my instructions have been very clear. It should be shut down, that is the best way to do it, if it’s a private school it’s even easier to do it,” said the CS.
Caleb Mwangi, 13, is fighting for his life at Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital after he was reportedly assaulted by the school’s director and colleagues for allegedly stealing chapatis.
Mwangi was reportedly kicked and whipped using water pipes and scalded with hot water after he picked five chapatis instead of one during supper on January 23.
As a result, Mwangi sustained serious injuries that left his left kidney damaged. Magoha was speaking at Allidina Visram School where he launched the construction of CBC classrooms. Tomorrow the CS will be in Kilifi for a similar exercise.
He also maintained that the national examinations will continue as planned and dismissed claims that the recent school unrest was as result of fear of tests.
He assured candidates in insecurity prone regions that they will sit exams in safe areas.
