Parents at Shikomari Primary School in Navakholo Constituency of Kakamega County have expressed concern after the head teacher of the school allowed a non-governmental organisation to circumcise their children without their consent.
Led by Joseph Otieno and Marygoreti Ombonyo, the parents claim that the school’s management went against their culture and tradition and now want the Ministry of Education to intervene in the matter.
According to the parents, the NGO has been visiting the school since last week and circumcising their children who age five years and above without informing them.
The parents now claim that the issue could lead to a breakdown of their marriages, giving the example of one boy who was disowned by his Bukusu father, for being circumcised while at his in-laws’ place.
“You cannot do anything you want to my child without asking me first. I am from the Luo community and in my culture we don’t allow circumcision,” one parent lamented.
“He is turning away parents using abusive language instead of explaining what exactly happened. Next week they have exams and the students can’t sit exams while in pain,” another parent commented.
According to one pupil, the female pupils were separated from the male pupils, and then the male pupils were inspected to find out whether or not they were circumcised. The male pupils were then told to get into a vehicle and transported to the place where the circumcisions were done.
The school’s head teacher John Musungu however, rubbished the parents’ claims saying the N.G.O had registered the pupils who wanted to be circumcised following an agreement with their parents.
“We have an NGO that circumcises the children for free but only for willing parents and willing children. So they came and registered the pupils in school. However one pupil lied that his parents had given consent,” he said.
The head teacher attributed the issue to propaganda by enemies of the school saying some people have blown up the issue to create the impression that there are many complainants.
In the meantime, a series of traditional circumcision festivities among the Luhya community are set to commence this month upon closure of schools.