A student spotted sitting alone in a class at Mugwandi Mixed Secondary School in Kirinyaga has sparked outrage among a section of Kenyans.
In videos shared by Citizen TV, the student, a form two learner, was found studying alone in a classroom, awaiting an English lesson.
The student could be spotted sitting at a desk, writing alone in a large room. He is later seen ringing a bell, possibly to signal the end of a lesson or a break.
The County Director of Education Lydiah Mutegi confirmed to the media that the school has one student and eight teachers.
“It is true, as you can see, there is only one student and eight teachers employed by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) in the school,” Mutegi said.
Mugwandi Secondary with 1 student and 8 Teachers
Kirinyaga Central Member of Parliament Gachoki Gitari has blamed the dire situation at Mugwandi Secondary School on delays by the TSC in appointing a permanent school principal.
This delay, according to Gitari, has led to many parents transferring their children to other public schools in search of better opportunities.
“We will convene a board meeting at the school to determine the way forward,” the lawmaker assured, emphasizing the urgency of finding a solution.
Some parents voiced their agreement with the MP’s concerns, while others pointed to the school’s name, “Mugwandi,” which in Kikuyu translates to “downfall,” as a possible factor contributing to its lack of popularity.
“How can my child thrive in a school with such a name?” questioned Eunice Wambui, a concerned parent.
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Uproar Among Kenyans Over Kirinyaga School Dire Situation
Kenyans on social media have since voiced concerns over how a student could find themselves alone in school, simultaneously acting as the head prefect, timekeeper, class prefect, and dining prefect.
The scenario has sparked a wider debate on the management of such schools, with social media users highlighting the challenges faced by the education system in rural areas, where under-enrollment and resource allocation remain pressing issues.
“This is a serious issue. Does the Mugwandi Secondary School, receive the capitation from the government for one student who doubles as the Head Boy, the Bell Ringer?” Geoffrey Muturi popularly known as Kawangare finest posed.
“We need to know the leaders of Kirinyaga County if they really mean well as education, is concerned.”
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Is it Resource Wastage?
Other users have termed the situation a waste of government resources, pointing out the irony that while Mugwandi Secondary School struggles with just one student and an abundance of teachers, there are other schools with larger populations that are allocated fewer teachers. T
“This is a waste of resources; the boy can be transferred to another school and the teachers be distributed elsewhere. I’m sure there is a shortage of teachers in so many schools,” Njoki Mn said.
Another user Logi Bomb chimed in stating, “We should strive to achieve that student-to-teacher ratio, and we will employ all qualified teachers and Europeans will stream in in droves to benchmark.”
On his part, Jeremy K Macharia said, “I was once a teacher in this school, the main problem was poor performance that contributed to parents taking students from Mugwandi to other performing schools. Actually, the name means, falling down, we had a proposal to change it.”
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