A teacher who reportedly walks 20 kilometres per day to deliver KCSE exams has landed in trouble with the Education Ministry.
Education officials on Tuesday summoned Mrs Magdalene Kimani, the Sosiana High School principal, after the Nation highlighted her story.
The ministry summoned the teacher to record a statement explaining why she spoke to the media and allowed Nation journalists to accompany her on one of her trips last Friday.
Officials said Mrs Kimani was not authorised to speak to journalists.
Trans Mara East Sub-county Director of Education Steve Gachie said the story had landed him in trouble with his bosses.
He said his seniors demanded that he confirms whether the teacher indeed covers a 20-kilometer round trip to deliver exams to her 18 candidates in Trans Mara East, Narok County.
“What you are doing is not right. She will have to write her report. She will have to explain her 20-kilometre trek from the point where the vehicle drops her. No one has a right to speak on behalf of the ministry. The only person who has a right is the County Director of Education,” Mr Gachie told Nation.
“You people have made me go through a lot of hell. Now I’m being asked if she walks for 20 kilometres. You are exaggerating; it’s not 20 kilometres and you just want to get news. Again, that is not the way we work. You should have verified with the office how long she treks. She does nine kilometres.”
“Tomorrow I’ll go with her, alight at the last point, and walk from that point to school and document that. Walking is not a crime. I’ll verify tomorrow exactly how far she walks. I’ve asked and have been told it’s less than five kilometres,” Gachie said on Tuesday.
According to the Nation, by the time KCSE exams are over, Magdalene Kimani will have walked a distance of more than 320 kilometres, equivalent to trekking from Nairobi to Bungoma town.
