Kirinyaga School With One Student, Eight Teachers Faces Closure

In Mugwandi, a tranquil village in Kirinyaga County, a public secondary school is on the brink of closure as it grapples with a dramatic decline in student enrolment.

Currently, the school is attended by a single Form Two student, amidst a faculty consisting of eight Teachers Service Commission (TSC) tutors. The institution's precarious situation is further exacerbated by the prolonged absence of a principal, raising concerns about its future viability. The lone student reflects on the unusual circumstances, stating, "It is lesson time, and I'm waiting for my English teacher,”

Teachers at the school, bound by TSC regulations, refrained from speaking to the media, citing fears of potential repercussions. The local community has increasingly withdrawn their children from the school, frustrated by the TSC's delay in appointing a head teacher. A frustrated parent remarks that they couldn't wait any longer for a head teacher.

The school’s name Mugwandi, which translates to "failure" in the local Kikuyu dialect, has also been deemed a discouraging factor by residents. Ms Judy Wamwari, a local resident says that the children felt inferior because of the name. She emphasizes the need for rebranding to instil community pride and acceptance.

Local Member of Parliament Gachoki Gitari acknowledges the critical nature of the school's situation, stating that the delay in posting a principal caused parents to withdraw their children therefore leaving the school nearly empty. Despite the presence of government-employed teachers, the institution has seen minimal academic participation.

Last year, only five candidates sat for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams, though teachers have avoided discussing examination outcomes. In light of these challenges, Gitari proposes conducting public consultations to explore the school's future viability.

"Converting it into a technical vocational training institute could be a viable solution, but we must consider the community’s views," he suggests.

Kirinyaga County Commissioner Hussein Allasow and TSC Director Isabella Iregi have acknowledged the severity of the issue, with investigations currently underway to assess the school’s underutilization. Allasow confirms that a team of education officers has been deployed to probe the matter while Iregi reports that the investigation report will guide the next steps regarding the institution's fate.