Weed smoking high school students should thank God Mr Ndirangu is retired.

Trust me if Mr. Eutychus Ndirangu was the discipline master in one of the Nyeri and Kirinyaga schools in which students were found in a bus with all manner of contraband, he would have been in that bus.

Source: Standard Media

Let me introduce you to Mr. Eutychus Ndirangu. He was the no nonsense discipline master at Michinda Secondary school Elburgon during its heydays. Mr. Ndirangu was a shiny black, seven foot plus, straight as a ruler, impeccably dressed male who also doubled up as the English Literature master. He walked with the grace of a cat, ready to pounce on any misbehaving student. His arrival was always unnoticed and students believed that even if there were rats around, they would not notice his arrival.

Mr. Ndirangu nicknamed Simmer by students was as mythical as he was real. Students’ spurn yarns and yarns of stories about him that it was difficult to know who the real Mr. Ndirangu was. For example it was believed that besides God, the only other omnipresent individual was Mr. Ndirangu. If you played truancy, and went to town, guess who you would meet, Mr Ndirangu. If you were just preparing to jump the southern gate to go to Eastleigh for a quick nap, Mr. Ndirangu would be waiting for you at the steps.

If you were in a matatu headed out of Elburgon town, the passenger who would be seated at the back seat would be Mr. Ndirangu and wherever you would alight, he would also  alight and promise to simmer you.

Students often said that he must have been a lion in his earlier life. If his eyes locked with yours you could see the fearless creature that he was. Others even used to say that his breath was full of heat fumes.  They would actually burn your neck as he gave you six of his best.

He cherished sending the fear of the lord particularly into form one pupils.

“What is your name?”  

“Where do you come from?”

“What is your father’s name?”

“What is your mother’s name?”

“What is the name of your former primary school?”

He would ask these questions in quick succession as he furiously scribbled non-existent details on foolscap. The frightened soul would have no chance to respond to the questions and by that time Mr.  Ndirangu  would be looking for the best cane from his pot that was placed at the corner of the small cramped up office.  He would give you six of the best and trust me that would be the last time you would ever be seen in that office during the whole of your secondary school life.

For that kind of action, cases of indiscipline were low but not totally eliminated because you would never know when Mr. Simmer would pounce on you.

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I am not sure what Ndirangu would have done today, if the students mentioned were from his school. I am however certain that times have changed and you can no longer cane students like it used to happen during our days – what with the Bill of Rights and The Children’s Act. One thing that I am sure about is that there is a major disconnect between children, parents and teachers. While teachers blame parents for declining levels of discipline, parents on the other hand extend the blame finger on the teachers whom they say spend three quarters of a year with the children. The children also accuse both teachers and parents of misunderstanding them and not letting them be. The situation is muddled up and requires proper interventions. What role will you play?