By GPC Reporters
West Mugirango MP Stephen Mogaka has warned politicians and sponsors of public schools against interfering with school administration, saying such interventions risk creating instability and undermining learning.
Mogaka said politicians should not use schools for political battles, while sponsors should restrict themselves to their legitimate roles and allow education professionals to manage institutions.
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He spoke over the weekend at Marani Girls School and Kianungu PAG Church, where Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) candidates for Kianungu Mixed Secondary School were dedicated in prayer ahead of their final examinations next month.
The MP accused some politicians of politicising teacher transfers and interfering with the running of schools, while also pointing a finger at some faith-based sponsors whom he said were attempting to influence the posting and transfer of teachers.
Under the law, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is mandated to assign, deploy and transfer teachers serving in public institutions.
“It should be well marked that sponsors of schools have no role in administration of the institutions that are under them as long as they are listed as public learning centres,” Mogaka said.
“They should stop interfering with running of the institutions and leave it to the professionals working under the Teachers Service Commission.”
He said some churches had resorted to arm-twisting teachers being transferred to and from schools in attempts to influence postings, creating unnecessary tension.
“Some churches are staging fights over transfer of teachers without knowing that is an exclusive role of the Teachers Service Commission and no one can meddle in that role. That is an independent Commission,” he said.
“TSC remains the only Government agency deemed with posting or transferring of teachers. Anyone else thinking they can infiltrate that mandate should be advised accordingly.”
Mogaka also cautioned unnamed politicians against turning school administration into a political contest.
“Politicians should keep off our schools because if we continue entertaining them, it will compromise our education standards. It’s unfortunate that some of those politicians are unfairly affecting our learners and we cannot allow that,” he said.
He, however, praised the Pentecostal Assemblies of God (PAG) Church, which sponsors the two schools, for maintaining a good working relationship with his office and providing what he described as a stable environment for the institutions.
Marani Girls Principal Eunice Sereti thanked Mogaka for supporting schools in the constituency, saying his office had contributed to improvements in enrolment and academic performance.
“The kind of support we have been receiving from the office of the MP has been immense and we shall ensure that we reciprocate the good work with excellent results,” Sereti said.
Kianungu and Marani Girls are among the high-performing secondary schools in the area that have benefited from support by the MP’s office.
Meanwhile, Mogaka has cleared school fee arrears for 72 Form Four candidates at Kenyenya Senior Secondary School in his constituency, allowing them to prepare for their KCSE examinations without any worries.
The candidates had accumulated fee balances over several terms, with some occassionally being sent home to collect fees, disrupting their studies and examination preparation.
Mogaka announced the intervention during a prayer day at the school, where he said no learner should be denied an opportunity to sit examinations because of inability to raise school fees.
“Education is the greatest equaliser,” Mogaka said, adding that his office was committed to ensuring full transition and retention of learners in West Mugirango.
He directed his National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) office to work with the school administration to identify the affected candidates and process payment of their outstanding fees.
The school principal Peterson Nyangeya welcomed the intervention, saying some of the affected candidates were orphans or came from financially disadvantaged families.
Nyangeya said the support had restored hope among the learners and expressed confidence that they would perform well in the forthcoming KCSE examinations.
The candidates thanked Mogaka for the intervention and pledged to work hard in their examinations.
