M.Sc. in Nutritional Sciences

JUNE 1 - JUNE 14, 2021 45

My hunch uncovers miscreant who poisoned fish pond

The other day I told you about the school fish farming project and the woes that has been bedeviling it.

Sometime back, an unknown sadist poured paraffin into the water, killing all the fish.

My investigations did not bear much fruit. In any case the project falls under the ambit of Napoleon the Agriculture and Biology teacher.

After that the matter was laid to rest.

However, the project seemed to be suffering many setbacks even after the school administration sought to revive it.

This time round, we sent Napoleon to purchase a fresh batch of tilapia fingerlings so that they could be reared, possibly for local consumption as well as performing basic experiments in the Biology and Agriculture labs.

But being the eccentric that he has been turning out to be, Napoleon was duped by some unscrupulous fellows by being sold tadpoles instead of fingerlings, most likely while under the influence of something intoxicating.

Obote could have skinned him alive were it not for my intervention.

You might let that pass as water under the bridge, but believe you me, after persisting on the project till some new fish stock was planted in the ponds, either the same witch or someone with similar intentions, sneaked to the fish pond and poured diesel in the water.

Cases of indiscipline have been on the rise in many schools in the country, and I promptly raised the matter with the school principal, believing firmly that the fellow doing these heinous acts was within the student fraternity. "The chaps doing this evil thing on our school fish farming project must be unearthed and punished. You never know next time they may burn down the school property. If they can secure diesel and paraffin to kill the fish, nothing can stop them from engaging in arson if they want to”, I told Obote.

I could see the concern in his eyes.

"But so far no one has been identified. You need to work with Napoleon and get the culprits so that the laid down disciplinary machinery can be put into use”, said. "You know very well as I do that I cannot raise a problem that I have no idea about”, I told the principal. "My intelligence has unearthed a form three student called Kiraka. He has been pouring the fuel in the water deliberately to kill the fish”, I alleged. "But why would he do that?" the principal asked, visibly concerned. "We cannot know that for sure unless we summon the culprit and grill him. You never know what goes on inside criminal minds”, I said emphatically.

After serious deliberations, we decided to grill Kiraka the three of us, that is Obote the principal, Napoleon and myself.

The fact that the cane has been outlawed in schools did not mean that we could tolerate criminal and disgruntled elements to get a foothold in our institution.

Kiraka had tried to put up a spirited self -defense but eventually he yielded.

He admitted pouring the fuel in the pond to kill the fish but was hard pressed to explain why he had that sadistic inclination. "If this student is allowed to stay in our midst next time he may even use the fuel to burn school property and even kill his colleagues”, I opined.

The principal bought my assertions and decided that the boy goes back to class as appropriate disciplinary measures were being worked out.

Before that, we needed to investigate who had been supplying him with the fuel so that they can also be punished accordingly.

By Pascal Mwandambo

TSC set to start biometric registration of new teachers

By Roy Hezron

New teachers who will be joining the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) will now be required to undergo the biometric enrolment before entering the commission’s payroll.

This is an effort to create a database for teachers and easily tracking those involved in examination irregularities.

The commission launched a pilot phase of biometric enrolment and validation of teachers on May 17, 2021; targets teachers in 143 institutions spread across 7 counties namely Uasin Gishu, Homa Bay, Bungoma, Nyeri, Kilifi, Kitui and Garissa.

TSC Director of Administrative Services Ibrahim Mumin, who oversaw the launch of the exercise at the Nyeri Boys High School on May 17, 2021, said there is need to maintain an up to date data of teachers stating that the information captured in this process will create a database that will help inform the government in decisionmaking.

Mumin added that the data will help in verifying teachers’ distribution and utilization, validate enrolment in public schools and also validate teachers’ bio data and employment records while still establishing areas of specialization.

The TSC director stated that the exercise is a multi-agency exercise that involves different government agencies and the pilot will guide the national roll-out.

The data to be verified includes the identification details of the teachers, letter of appointment, People living With Disabilities (PWD), certifications if any, and academic certificates that are run against preloaded data from the Integrated Personnel Payroll Data (IPPD).

The process involves capturing the fingerprints of teachers, validation of personal employment data, and taking of passport size photos.

During the release of 2020 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) on May 10, 2021, TSC Chief Executive Officer Dr. Nancy Macharia stated that the commission will launch a transparent process of biometric enrolment and validation of teachers in public schools to curb irregularities.

According to Dr. Macharia, the process will entail enlisting their fingerprints which will allow for forensic and intelligenceled investigations in cases where examination papers are tampered with, and where cell phones and other gadgets are used to commit examination malpractices.

The use of biometric validation will also assist in vindicating innocent teachers from being blamed for offences they did not commit.

“After initial consultations within and outside of the Commission, we have resolved to devise a waterproof system that will help us to accurately detect, identify and apprehend perpetrators of examinations fraud while protecting innocent teachers whose gadgets may be misused,” said Dr. Macharia.

She added further that “We think this will only be possible if investigators can examine and conduct a forensic analysis of the fingerprints of the people who tamper with examination materials.”

According to Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha, after four years of a sustained and relentless campaign to fight the practice of leaking national examinations, the menace has been “completely eradicated”.

He attributed the success to a robust security-led system of delivering examinations directly to the (examination) containers before dispatching them to various centres.

“We recorded isolated cases where some people entrusted to safeguard the examination papers went ahead to open them in the morning of the actual date of examinations once they have been dispatched from the containers,” said Prof. Magoha.

During the administration of the 2020 KCSE examination, a number of cases were reported to Kenya National Examination Council alleging that some teachers contracted either as Centre managers, supervisors or invigilators were involved in an unethical behavior of opening the examination papers as soon as they are released from the containers.

In one of his statements in early April when the 2020 KCSE examinations were on going, Prof. Magoha revealed that a total of 11 examination officials including Centre managers, supervisors and invigilators were arrested over attempts to expose some of the KCSE examination papers.

Those who were arrested include a Centre Manager and a Supervisor in John Mbadi Centre in Suba sub-county in Homabay County; a Centre manager in Adega Mixed in Rachuonyo sub-county in Homabay County; and a Centre manager and two supervisors in El-Hagarsu Mixed in Mandera sub-county in Mandera County.

Others who were arrested include a Centre Manager and two Supervisors in Kerongorori Mixed in Kenyenya sub-county in Kisii County; a Centre manager in Huda Secondary in Fafi sub-county in Garisssa County; and a Centre Manager and a Supervisor in Moro Secondary in Nyakach sub-county in Kisumu County.

The exercise was initially scheduled to commence in May 2020 but it was shelved due to the Covid-19 pandemic that led to the closure of schools.

Data for teachers in special programs as well as for curriculum support officers in all zones will also be captured during this exercise which is also expected to be rolled out nationally between August/September.

The exercise will also reveal teacher distribution based on subject combinations and will unearth staffing gaps that will inform training needs for various subject areas

TSC Director Administrative Services, Ibrahim Mumin. Photo/Staff Reporter