St. Paul's Boys Lugari High School entrance/WKT
St. Paul’s Boys Lugari High School principal Mr. Kennedy Nyamwolo has admitted that a section of students want him out of the school over a number of issues, among them his decision to scale down on sports activities.
The principal denied that the school’s atmosphere was tensed. He said there was no strike but just a small rebellion from a section of the learners.
Mr. Nyamwolo revealed that the riotous students want to be allowed to participate in sports, be allowed to cheer their teams and be allowed to hold entertainment sessions on weekends.
The school head insisted that he is scaling down on sports activities for the benefit of the learner and to pull the school’s education standard, but he hasn’t given co-curricular activities a blind eye.
Area MP Nabii Nabwera was forced to visit the school and held a meeting with the Board of Management (BOM), teachers, senior education officials and students.
“He requested the management to try and consider the complains of the students and thus find solutions to them. The students on the other hand, should be obedient and keep focus on their academic for better results. He promised to co-operate with the school to bring cohesion among them,” read a message shared on WhatsApp groups.
The atmosphere at the school reached boiling point this morning when students assembled in front of the administration block demanding the immediate transfer of the principal, a source, who would like their identity protected, revealed.
The source said the strike began on Saturday and police officers cordoned the school for the better part of last night to enforce security and prevent destruction of property.
“The strike is being engineered by Form Four students who have refused to go to class as we speak. They are telling the principal openly that he should leave,” he said.
The source further revealed that the students left the school by themselves yesterday and went to the neighboring Bishop Njenga Girls for the ongoing inter-school games.
The strike escalated when the school principal defiantly refused to take a photo with the players and the school coach to prove his stand against his students participating in sports.
“The came back in the evening and caused some unrest but cooled down and went to class after police intervened. This morning, they woke up and went and sat in front of the administration block. They want the principal to go,” the source said.
Mr. Nyamwolo, who took over from Mr. Patrick Ligami who was said to have valued sports over academics, came with a policy of having full concentration on books to revive the academic standards of the school.
This comes a few months after Mufutu Secondary School in the same Lugari Ward went on a rampage demanding key reforms, including transfer of the school principal.
Sam Oduor is the editor-in-chief at the Western Kenya Times who leverages the power of the Internet in telling stories that shape opinions.
