Vincent Mukokho, Esteemed Catholic Priest, Appointed Chair of Mukumu Girls’ New Board
On April 15, Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Ezekiel Machogu dissolved the previous Board of Management (BOM) of Sacred Heart Mukumu Girls in Kakamega County.
Fr. Vincent Mukokho, a Catholic priest from the Catholic Diocese of Kakamega, will lead the new board of seventeen members.
Oliver Minishi, the former principal of Nanyuki Boys High School, and Mr. Polycarp Ishenyi, a lecturer at Bomet University, are also members.
Since the school’s reopening, 1,851 students have returned.
A teacher and three students perished in a disease outbreak, prompting the 10th of May inauguration of a new team reportedly tasked with devising solutions to the institution’s problems.
Among the ongoing interventions by the government and school administration are the drilling of a Sh 6 million borehole and the construction of a new water purification and chlorination facility.
The administration of the school is also investigating the repair and redesign of the wastewater sewage system, as well as the maintenance of the kitchen, store, and dining hall.
Other measures include the hiring of qualified medical personnel for the school’s sick bay, the testing and treatment of all food handlers, and the installation of additional hand-washing stations.
More than 240 students fell ill during the disease outbreak and were treated at the Kakamega County General Hospital and other private hospitals.
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During his visit to the school on April 15 to assess the situation, Mr. Machogu announced changes to the school’s administration, including the transfer of former principal Fridah to the Western region director of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
Sr Jane Mmbone, the former principal of Shikoti Girls’ Secondary School, has replaced Ms Ndoloh as headmistress.
MPs criticized the State on Friday of last week for failing to protect students and teachers at Sacred Heart Mukumu Girls High School after learners who reported to school in May fell ill, with 24 students admitted to St Elizabeth Mission Hospital Mukumu and the County General Hospital.
The two medical facilities have referred an additional 38 students for outpatient care.
CS Machogu told the National Assembly Education Committee in Mombasa, “We are addressing the issue…We were required to send the students home because of an outbreak. There are now isolated instances…We’ve taken care of the water and food.”
Mr. Julius Melly, chairman of the Education Committee of the National Assembly, stated that the State must protect the lives of students in boarding schools.
He requested that the Ministry of Education investigate the issue of boarding school sanitation, food, and cleanliness. Due to a population increase of nearly 40 percent, he lamented the overcrowding in schools.
However, the facilities remain unchanged. Due to the 100 percent transition policy, there are frequently sixty students in a class of forty. In boarding schools, a 200-bed dormitory houses 300 students. Mr. Melly stated that the state must provide funding to improve boarding facilities, including classrooms, dining halls, and restrooms.
Vincent Mukokho, Esteemed Catholic Priest, Appointed Chair of Mukumu Girls’ New Board
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