www.Kisii.Com: Syndicated news from only reputable sources [Nation, and Standard Newspapers, Kenya Times, KBC, etc.]
Church Accused of Interfering With Schools
- Details
- Published on Wednesday, 18 July 2007 02:46
Interference from the church in appointment of school heads has caused bad blood among education stakeholders in the three districts.
In 2001, the Church ordered the closure of five of its provincial schools demanding the removal of the principals over alleged financial mismanagement.
Students from the five schools, Sengera, Cardinal Otunga, Otamba, Rangenyo and Kiogi spent two months at home before the then education minister Kalonzo Musyoka intervened and ordered the schools reopened. The five heads were moved.
Two years on, the priests are now at loggerheads with Gucha District Education Officer (DEO), Mr Charles Odongo, whom they accuse of showing disrespect to the Catholic Church.
Father A Masese, in charge of Sengera Parish, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, wants the Church to have an input in the choice of heads.
"The Catholic Church, like any other denomination, must have a say when it comes to appointment of heads in our sponsored schools," Masese said during an interview with the East Africa Standard.
He accused the DEO of showing disrespect to the Church leaders by not honouring demands presented to him.
Masese dismissed the DEO's claims that names of those presented for appointment had not met the required qualifications. "These are pure lies and I challenge the DEO to single out a particular case where we have presented names of teachers who are not qualified."
The DEO, during an interview with Education , reminded the Church to stick to its role as outlined in the education Act. He noted that some Catholic schools had collapsed because of too much interference from Church leaders.
"The Ministry of Education will continue to exercise its responsibility of appointing credible heads to all public schools," Odongo said.
On his part, the local Knut Executive Secretary, Joseph Malimbu, castigated the Church leaders and demanded that Bishop Joseph Mairura tames the priests who are fronting for teachers of their choice for appointments.
