Teachers now risk the sack for corporal punishment
Teachers found guilty of subjecting students to corporal punishment or exposing them to any form of violence will be risk being sacked or deregistered, the Teachers Service Commission has warned.
TSC Secretary, Nancy Macharia, said the many cases of students being killed or maimed by teachers are alarming and called for punitive action against this practice.
In a speech read on her behalf by TSC director of teachers management, Ms Dinah Mwaita, during the 79th graduation at Kigari Teachers’ College on Saturday, Ms Macharia said they were strictly following cases of teachers caning their pupils.
She said teachers, as care-givers, are expected to strictly safeguard the interest of students.
“I am sure you have read in the newspapers cases of children who have sustained injuries, some fatal, after being caned by teachers. I wish to advise you to refrain from caning as it is unlawful,” warned Ms Macharia.
The official cited Article 53 of the Constitution which outlines fundamental rights to children.
TEACHING PROFESSION
She said teachers were expected to guarantee the students’ safety whenever they were in school.
“Teachers are tasked to protect children from abuse, neglect, harmful cultural practices, all forms of violence, discrimination, inhuman treatment, corporal punishment and exposure to exploitative labour,” said Ms Macharia.
She also said TSC was carrying out a mandatory teachers registration to regulate the teaching profession.
Ms Macharia said the move was meant to get rid of quacks who she blamed for being responsible for causing havoc in the profession.
Embu County Director of Education Margaret Mwirigi called on teachers to help inculcate life skills on students expressing disappointment that many students can not perform basic tasks as washing their clothes.
County TSC Director Janet Onyango said the teachers’ appraisals process was going on and was meant to improve service delivery and help teachers’ growth.