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When parents of Senator John aat the heart of Nyamira county held a protest over poor KCSE results, the head teacher had one answer for them; you are to blame.

Parents are now demanding the head teacher’s transfer, claiming he had become a liability to the institution.

It is some sort of irony that the poor performing institution is named after celebrated independence Senator John Kebaso, who is known to have been committed to excellence.

Armed with twigs and placards, the parents lamented that while other local schools such as Nyambaria had registered impressive results, Senator Kebaso Mixed Secondary was performing dismally.

However, the principal, Patrick Ombati, said the teaching staff had nothing to do with it. At the school, according to Ombati, a number of students register, go back to their homes; marry or get married, only to return to sit the exams.

The institution registered 55 candidates for last year’s KCSE had recorded a mean score of 2.64, the lowest in the county.

“We have clear records in education offices, chiefs offices and the police station that our children are drunkards and drug peddlers,” he told People Daily.

He said most of the students do not attend school but only resurface when the examinations are due and when the parents’ intervention is sought, they do not cooperate or even choose to keep quiet. “Most of our students come to school when they want. When we raise the issue with parents, they don’t cooperate,” he added.

Ombati said some only resurface to sit national examinations.

“We admit students with less than 100 marks. How do they expect us to change such students who do not come to school every day, to help them improve such marks without their cooperation?” he posed.

“The issue of Senator Kebaso has been raised in all education forums and it is purely parents and church sponsors who are not keen on education of their children.”

Area chief Nyamoko Phillip admits that a number students were indisciplined, however, efforts are being made to the address the situation.

Ombati said the Ministry of Education has enough information about the institution and asked parents to stop crying foul over the results. But the parents, led by Elijah Moseti, accused the principal of mismanaging the institution for the last six years he has been at the helm.

“We will not allow the principal to step in this compound because he has become unproductive to the community,” said Moset. County education board chairman Charles Nyandusi challenged parents to give attention to the education of their children instead of engaging in blame games over examination results.