Class Eight pupil dies after caning
Villagers camp at the home of the late orphaned girl Millicent Achieng in Wakiria village. Photo/JACOB OWITI
What you need to know:
- Schoolgirl was punished by teacher for failing an examination
- Guardian says she had in the past received reports about the child collapsing at school
A pupil in Bondo District, Siaya County, on Sunday died after being reportedly caned by a teacher for failing an examination.
According to her fellow pupils, Millicent Obondo collapsed in class shortly after their teacher caned her with a plastic pipe for failing to obtain the 50 per cent pass mark during weekend tuition.
“Our teacher came to class and started caning those who had failed to surpass the 50 per cent pass mark. On caning her, she collapsed,” said one of the students.
The Class Eight pupils at Matangwe Primary School in Bondo then took her outside the classroom to perform first aid on her but this failed to yield results.
The girl was taken to a nearby hospital, where she died. The girl’s family members rushed to the hospital after they learnt from the other pupils about what had happened.
Mrs Nora Obondo, the guardian, said she had earlier been informed of cases where Millicent had collapsed at school, although this had never happened at home.
“There is a time when the teachers told me that Millicent had collapsed at school. On inquiring about the incident, I was told that she had collapsed after she had participated in a race,” said Mrs Obondo.
The late class eight pupil Millicent Achieng who died on Saturday after allegedly being caned by her teacher. Photo/JACOB OWITI
Mrs Obondo further said that at one point she wanted to cane Millicent but stopped doing so when the girl warned that she could faint.
Mr Michura Ojwang’, an uncle, said that he received a call from the girl’s father who works away from home at around midnight informing him about the incident.
“I received the news at around midnight from my brother, who asked me to go and find out what had happened,” said Mr Ojwang’.
Nyanza Parents Association chairman Jackson Ogweno called for action to be taken against the teacher over his conduct after investigations are carried out.
He said the investigation would help unravel the underlying issues, adding that it is against the current teaching ethics to subject a learner to corporal punishment.
He said that weekend or holiday tuition had been banned.
“This is one of the worst forms of negligence that we have experienced in the teaching profession,” said Mr Ogweno.
