The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has raised concern over what it describes as a worrying rise in cases of students assaulting teachers in Murang’a County, following four separate incidents reported in different secondary schools within the last one month.
The union notes the attacks, which involved three female teachers and one male teacher, were triggered by disciplinary actions taken against students, highlighting what it terms as a growing culture of indiscipline and declining respect for teachers.
Speaking in Murang’a, KUPPET Executive Secretary for the county Thomas Kimani said violence against teachers was once a rare occurrence but has now become increasingly common, with incidents ranging from verbal abuse to physical assaults.
“We never used to hear of students beating teachers. Today, such incidents are becoming frequent and that should worry every stakeholder in the education sector,” said Kimani.
He linked the trend to the increasing cases of unrest in schools witnessed in recent years, including incidents of arson warning that the four reported cases could be just a fraction of the actual situation since some teachers may choose not to report attacks.
Kimani cited the first incident at Maragua Ridge Secondary School, where a teacher was allegedly assaulted and verbally abused by a student and her mother after the teacher attempted to discipline the learner.
Although the mother and daughter were later arrested and arraigned in court, Kimani expressed dissatisfaction with the outcome after each of them was fined Sh3,000, saying the punishment failed to reflect the seriousness of the offence.
The union is now calling for stricter disciplinary measures against students who assault teachers, including barring those found guilty from sitting for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination.
KUPPET Gender Secretary Trizah Njuguna said female teachers were increasingly working under fear due to rising cases of violence in schools.
She accused the Ministry of Education of remaining silent despite the growing number of attacks, adding that the union would continue pushing for stronger protection of teachers.
“As female teachers, we no longer feel safe. Assaulting a teacher is a criminal offence and should be treated with the seriousness it deserves,” she said.
Murang’a County Director of Education Phillip Wambua confirmed receiving reports of the four incidents, which occurred at Maragua Ridge Secondary School, Njora Secondary School, Kimathi Secondary School and Kibungithu Secondary School.
According to Wambua, three of the cases involved physical assaults, while one involved a student verbally abusing a teacher.
At Njora Secondary School, a female teacher was reportedly assaulted after attempting to confiscate a student’s mobile phone when it rang during an examination marking session.
The student allegedly attacked the teacher before mobilizing other learners who threatened to further assault her after school.
Fearing for her safety, fellow teachers escorted her home and she later sought a transfer from the school after reporting the incident to the local administration.
In yet another incident at Kibungithu Secondary School in Kandara Sub-county, a teacher sustained a black eye after being attacked by a student, who had been punished for reporting late to school. The teacher later reported the matter to police and was issued with a P3 form.
Wambua said disciplinary processes against the concerned students had been initiated in accordance with the Ministry of Education regulations, adding that learners found culpable would be required to seek admission in other schools.
He condemned the attacks, describing them as criminal acts that should never be tolerated within learning institutions.
The CDE urged parents to take greater responsibility in instilling discipline in their children, saying some learners arrive in school unwilling to follow rules because they face little accountability at home.
He also noted that drug and substance abuse could be contributing to the problem in some cases, although poor parenting and lack of guidance remain significant factors.
Wambua advised teachers not to retaliate when confronted by violent students but instead to report such incidents to school administrators, the Ministry of Education and the police for appropriate legal action.
Education stakeholders are now calling for a united effort by parents, schools, government agencies and the wider community to restore discipline and safeguard teachers, warning that continued attacks could undermine the learning environment and the authority of educators.
