Siaya teachers in assault video case out on police bond
Nyamninia Primary School in Gem, Siaya County.
Two teachers from Nyamninia Primary School in Gem, Siaya County, who were arrested following claims that they assaulted a Standard Eight pupil are out on a police bond.
The duo will, however, wait until Friday to know whether they will proceed to court after their files were submitted to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions for review.
Mr Paul Osogo and Ms Maureen Otieno were arrested and booked at the Gem Police Station after a video showing the child with bruises went viral on social media.
In the amateur clip, the child laments bitterly that the teachers punished him because he failed to score 400 marks out of the possible 500.
“It is better I stay without going to school. The marks that I scored are to the best of my ability. Why must I be beaten when I can’t attain 400 marks? We are really suffering, there is little food in the school,” the candidate lamented.
The mother
The boy’s mother, Ms Nereah Anyango, told reporters that this was not the first time he had been assaulted by teachers.
“The first time I was informed of the heinous punishment that the learners undergo while in school I was shocked. The teacher stripped my son naked and caned him in that state. Does it mean that for the candidates to pass they must go through hell?” she said.
She urged the authorities to take action against the teachers.
“When a child is taken to school, teachers are like the parent and instead of beating him that much, they should be corrected. Teachers are also parents and should help bring them up in the right way not subject them to torture,” said Ms Nereah.
While visiting Siaya County on July 23, a day after the video went viral, to inspect junior secondary classrooms in Bondo sub-county, Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha, said corporal punishment is outlawed in schools and teachers taking part in it are on their own.
“The Constitution is very clear that there is no corporal punishment in schools and that is final. Any teacher found doing the contrary will have to face the law,” said Prof Magoha.
He added: “You cannot punish a learner simply because they have not attained some marks that you expect them to score; you don’t expect all the candidates to score 400 in exams.”
