PRESS RELEASE: INDECENT ACT BY PUPILS OF ITUMBE PRIMARY SCHOOL IN KISII COUNTY

The National Gender and Equality Commission is mandated to promote and protect the rights of special interest groups, including children. As such, the Commission is responsible for monitoring and overseeing agencies responsible for safeguarding children's rights in Kenya. The Commission, therefore, condemns strongly the reported incident at Itumbe Primary School in Nyamache Sub-county, Kisii County where pupils were coerced and filmed to participate in an indecent act by their teachers.

This is a gross violation of the children's rights as guaranteed by Article 53 of the Constitution of Kenya 2010, which outlines the rights of children to protection from all forms of violence, abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

We urge the police to take swift and decisive action to bring the culprits to justice and ensure that the full force of the law is brought to bear on them. The Teachers Service Commission must also take administrative measures against the teachers involved to prevent any future incidents of this nature.

Such incidents undermine the efforts made by various stakeholders to protect the rights of children in Kenya. We call upon all educators and those in positions of authority to respect and uphold the rights of children as enshrined in Article 53 of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010.

SIGNED

DR. JOYCE M. MUTINDA PhD, EBS

CHAIRPERSON