A 16-year-old pupil wants action taken against her teacher who segregated her because of her HIV status.
According to the standard seven pupil at Siyombe Primary School in Kimaeti, Bumula, the teacher told her classmates that she is HIV positive and ordered her to sit alone on a desk that is usually shared by three pupils.
"I was affected when the teacher told my classmates about my HIV status. He asked made me to sit on a corner desk alone and refused to mark my assignments," said the pupil.
The child's mother said she decided to tell the class teacher of her child's status when he called to ask why she was missing classes frequently.
"When I opened up to the teacher about my child's status, I did it knowing that the teacher would help counsel her," said the mother.
She said soon after the teacher made the remarks, other pupils started avoiding her daughter who now feels stigmatised.
She said she was forced to transfer her daughter to a nearby school but the stigmatisation followed her as her status was also known at the new school.
Siyombe's headteacher told the Star yesterday that the issue has been raised it with relevant authorities. Bungoma county director of education Daniel Mosibei said he has launched investigations into the matter.
