A harrowing incident in Nyamira County has led to a teacher facing charges of attempted murder after allegedly caning a 9-year-old pupil 104 times.

The charge was brought against the teacher in court on Friday, July 19, following an accusation of using a plastic pipe to administer the severe punishment.

The young pupil's ordeal began over a seemingly minor infraction: misplacing his school uniform.

However, the teacher's reaction was anything but minor. The teacher is said to have canned the pupil 109 times on the buttocks.

The excessive caning resulted in severe injuries to the child's buttocks, necessitating immediate medical attention.

The prosecution revealed distressing details about the pupil's condition. The pupil sustained a haematoma, a dangerous accumulation of clotted blood within his tissues.

This condition, according to a prosecution witness, could have had fatal consequences if the blood clots had travelled to his heart.

"If the blood clots would have travelled to the vein, it could have dislodged in the heart," the witness testified, highlighting the severe risk posed by the teacher's actions.

The prosecution argued that the extent of the injuries and the potential for fatal consequences constituted attempted murder.

The teacher, who was present in court, has yet to present his defence. The case, which has garnered significant attention, is set to continue.

This incident has once again brought the issue of corporal punishment in schools into the spotlight.

Although the government banned corporal punishment in schools in 2001, old habits die hard. The practice, deeply ingrained in the country’s history, dates back to the colonial era when it was used by missionaries and colonisers to assert authority.

A recent national household survey, the 2019 Violence Against Children report, revealed a troubling statistic: more than half of 18 to 24-year-olds in Kenya still believe it is necessary for teachers to use corporal punishment.

An employee of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), who spoke to BBC Africa Eye on the condition of anonymity in 2023, provided further insight into the issue. 

They disclosed that reports of severe school beatings have more than quadrupled over the past three years, from seven to 29. Shockingly, many incidents remain unreported, suggesting that the true scale of the problem is even greater.

The grim reality is that deaths resulting from school beatings are not unheard of in Kenya. Over the past five years, more than 20 such deaths have been reported in the media. 

The notion that educational professionals, entrusted with the care and development of children, could inflict such harm is unfathomable to many, yet it remains a distressing truth.