TSC’s preliminary report, CEO Nancy Macharia (pictured) said in a statement addressed to the Clerk of the National Assembly, indicates that the teacher had since been suspended pending the conclusion of the probe./CFM-FILE.
NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 20 –The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) now says that a pupil in a public school in Bomet who committed suicide after her Class Teacher reportedly mocked her over menstrual hygiene was offered help.
Jackline Chep’ngeno’s classmates are said to have corroborated accounts given by the staff of Kabiangek Primary School when a team constituted by TSC visited on September 11.
Chep’ngeno committed suicide on September 6 after her Class Teacher, Jennifer Chemutai, shamed her for soiling her wet school uniform after having her monthly period.
TSC’s preliminary report, CEO Nancy Macharia said in a statement addressed to the Clerk of the National Assembly, indicates that the teacher had since been suspended pending the conclusion of the probe.
The teacher didn’t scold or ridicule her for soiling her school uniform, TSC said citing the preliminary report compiled by a six-member team led by Bomet County Director of Education.
The investigating team established that the accused teacher politely asked the student to accompany her to the office to get sanitary pads, after which she could go home to change her uniform and report back to school.
The student however didn’t return to school as expected until the news about her death were reported, TSC said.
“While the teacher headed towards the office to source for the sanitary towels, Jackline walked towards the gate and went home straight. When the teacher finished the inquiry on the whereabouts of the towels, she spotted Jackline walking towards the gate. Her attempts to call her back didn’t bear any fruit,” TSC said in the letter addressed to the National Assembly.
The team established that upon reaching home, Jackline’s mother similarly instructed her to change, wash her uniform and return to school in the afternoon.
“She complied, picked a bucket and ‘leso’ and went to the river. At around 2.00 p.m word reached Jackline’s family that she had committed suicide,” TSC reported.
Jackline’s parents are said to have separated long time ago, so her mother and all her siblings were staying at her maternal grandmother’s place.
Unfortunately for Jackline, both her mother and grandmother her addicted to alcohol, leaving Jackline with the responsibility of undertaking all the family chores.
Further Jackline’s sister is said to have been hospitalized for a terminal illness for the last two months, leaving behind her two children under the care of Jackline.
The sister had just been discharged from hospital at the time of investigations.
The team also found out that the school had received full consignment of sanitary towels for second term and confirmed that Jackline and the rest of the eligible girls received their supply of the sanitary towels for the months of August and September.
Upon the completion of the investigations, TSC stated a decision will be made once the investigation is concluded in accordance the code of regulations for teachers.
The teachers’ employer promised to take administrative action based on evidence and merits of the case.
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