Parents, board lock Isiolo Boys principal's office in protest against new hire

The Isiolo Boys High School board and parents have locked the new principal's office in protest against the Teachers Service Commission (TSC)'s decision to place him there despite an earlier resolution for his redeployment.

Board Chairperson Mohamed Boru told journalists that a Thursday meeting of his executive team, parents, the TSC, and Ministry of Education officials in the county unanimously agreed that the outgoing principal hand over and report to his new workstation ahead of the deployment of his replacement.

The education stakeholders are said to have suggested to the TSC and MoE officials that Deputy Principal Wario Guyo take over in an acting capacity until a substantive replacement was found.

Isiolo Boys' High School board members, parents, and education stakeholders address journalists after locking the principal's office on July 13, 2024. (Photo: Waweru Wairimu/EV)

Mohamed said the commission tasked one of its officers with overseeing the school's management, on an interim basis, after rejecting the proposal for temporary management by the deputy principal.

He told journalists on Saturday, "It is sad that the TSC sneaked the principal into the school (yesterday) without the board's knowledge. We do not want him in the school due to non-performance. Who will he work with when parents and the board have rejected him?"

The board chair further noted that the recent deployment was the new principal's second one to the school and that the former board rejected him last year due to a poor track record.

"If this school goes on its knees, the TSC commissioner and the politician will be to blame," he said.

Accompanied by the board's deputy chair, Stephen Kalunyu, Mohamed also expressed fears that continued wrangling would destabilise the school and water down gains made in recent years, among them improved performance.

The locked office of the Isiolo Boys' High School principal, as pictured on July 13, 2024. (Photo: Waweru Wairimu/EV)

Halima Yussuf, a parent, termed the transfer of the outgoing principal, James Gituma, unfortunate, wondering why it happened months before the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exam scheduled for November.

"There seems to be a deliberate plan to inconvenience the students, especially KCSE candidates. We will not accept a teacher whose record is wanting," she said, adding that they were hopeful that performance would have improved under the former leadership.

Wabera MCA Salesio Kiambi said they would not watch as the school, whose performance had improved in the last few years, go down the drain due to vested interests by some individuals.

"The TSC must listen to the board and take into consideration the concerns they have raised. You cannot impose a principal whose record we have seen is way below that of James Gituma," the MCA said.

County Parents Association Chairperson Ismael Galma claimed a senior elected leader in the county and a TSC commissioner based in Embu were behind the school's woes and were hell-bent on imposing the teacher who is their ally.

"Keep off education matters. We will not allow you to micromanage a school like a private entity," Ismael said.

The outgoing and incoming principals were not immediately available for comment.