Nyanchwa Girls High School deputy principal, Agnes Omambia, is on the spot over victimisation and mistreatment of a student in the school.
According to Lydia Nyambeki, the deputy principal has in the recent past been victimising her through unprocedural screening of her luggage and abusing her.
“I have been victimised and undergone torture in the hands of my deputy principal since she learnt my HIV status. It started when I was reporting to school for this second term," said Nyambeki.
"Another incident is when she sent me home for school fees last week. She shouted at me when I went back to school, telling me that I had taken the school like a toilet where I go as I want,” she continued amid tears.
She was reluctant to go back to the school fearing that she would be victimised even more:
“Am not going back to Nyanchwa, am willing to continue with my studies in a different school. The environment there has turned unfavourable for me.”
When we reached the accused person on Tuesday for a comment, she declined to have mistreated the student.
“I don’t remember mistreating Lydia even in a single day. She is a good student because we have never handled any indiscipline case against her,"said the teacher.
"The only mistake we committed I can remember, of which I apologise, is sending her home for school fees when her case had been handled in the principal’s office,” she said.
However, she was not able to explain why the school was giving the student three varying fee balances.
“The bursar can explain about her fee balance,” she said.
The school issued three varying fee balances; two in this term and another one last term.
The fee balances are Sh61, 269 signed by the principal and Sh56, 264 signed by the deputy principal a different figure was also captured in her first term report form.
The school principal said the school can only afford moral support for the student:
“We cannot waive her school fees because that involves so many people. We have been giving her moral support and conducive environment for learning,” said Mrs Norah Nyakundi.
She added:
“Yes, there is endowment fund in the school for bright and needy students, but she may not qualify because am not the only one who determine the beneficiaries. So, I don’t want to promise. I will talk to my husband and teachers and see if we can raise some money for her.”
The student has since joined a different school, with Ms Naomi Nyakeya, offering to house her till she finishes her school.
“I knew this lady late last year. I was so much touched by her story. Since then, I have been supporting her where I can; morally and financially," said Nyakeya.
"Since she has declined to go back to her school, am ready to stay with her till she is through with her studies in a school of her choice,” said the mother of two from Bonchari sub-county.
Ms Nyakeya works with an international NGO as a counselor, implementing HIV education in the region.
Nyambeki, who is a peer educator, lives positively from a few days later she learnt her status.
She appealed for acceptance to the infected persons in the community:
“Being HIV positive is not a life sentence. I have a big ambition of pursuing counseling course and Journalism," said Nyambeki.
"I have a talent and hope I will be a broadcaster one day. I ask our people to accept and don’t see us as a bad omen,” she said.