Stakeholders in the education sector have expressed concern over reported cases of students’ unrest in secondary schools that have left property worth millions and some schools closed over the last two weeks.
The strikes by various schools across the country are an interruption to learning during the third term of the school year when candidates are preparing for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).
A spot check by the Nation shows that the trend started when students demanded to be allowed to go home at the height of the teachers’ strike which ended a week ago.
At the time, over 100 schools sent students home for fear that they would damage school property. However, a number of schools have continued to report cases of unrest.
Basic Education principal secretary Belio Kipsang promised to give a comment from the Ministry of Education but had not done so by the time of going to press.
In Makueni County, Kaiti MP Joshua Kimilu called for a special mid-term break to end the wave of destruction after 25 schools in the county reported cases of unrest. There is no break in third term when KCSE candidates prepare for their examinations.
The schools affected include Makueni Boys High School, Ngooto Boys Secondary School, Kithuki Secondary School, Kitise Secondary School, Matiku Secondary School, Makindu Girls Secondary School, Mutaiti Secondary School, Good Shepherd Girls Secondary School, Makueni Boys High School, Nziu Girls School, Kyamuthei Secondary School, Nyayo Girls Secondary School and Maiani Boys Secondary School, Makindu Boys High School, St Joseph Girls Secondary School, Kibwezi, Kalulini Boys High School and Kisayani Secondary School.
Makueni Woman Representative Rose Museo and Makueni Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili separately called on students to reconsider burning down school facilities to express their grievances.
“A committee should also be setup to investigate the schools unrest. We should end this problem once and for all to enable our students to study," Mr Kimilu said during a funds drive at AIC Kivani Secondary School on Saturday.
Six students suspected to have started a fire on Sunday night that destroyed a dormitory at Njia Boys High School, Meru County are in police custody. Property worth millions of shillings was destroyed in the dormitory which was housing 160 students.
This comes after students from neighbouring Burieruri High School rioted last week, two months after the school was briefly closed in over similar riots. The Njia Boys’ fire came a day after a dormitory housing 130 students at Isiolo Girls’ High school was burnt down.
The principal of Njia Boys Alex Karuma said the fire broke out at around 8.00pm while students were in the dining hall for supper.
“All students are safe and accounted for. We mobilised staff and fire fighters to contain the fire but all beds and students’ items were destroyed,” Mr Karuma said.
According to Meru County Commissioner Jacob Ouma, the six students being questioned by the police were allegedly captured by CCTV cameras as they executed lighting the fire. Mr Ouma said the investigations have been expanded to look into possible accomplices from outside the school.
“Preliminary investigations have indicated that it was an arson attack by some rogue students. In many cases, we have discovered that students are just pawns. The DCI will be pursuing those who might have aided the arson attack,” Mr Ouma said.
The county commissioner said all criminal activities involving students shall be dealt with as per the law to avert the acts of impunity. The school was not be closed. Students at the school had also rioted in July this year.
“The county security committee has warned schools against handling criminal offences through school rules. We must deal with impunity by ensuring that the criminals face the full force of the law. I urge parents to nurture their children to prevent them from landing in jail at a young age,” he said.
Mr Ouma said the committee is monitoring Burieruri Boys High School in Igembe Central, after students went on the rampage twice. In July, learning was disrupted in nine secondary schools in Meru County following a wave of student riots that left three dormitories razed down and other facilities vandalised in one week.
On Tuesday night last week, a fire huge fire broke out at Kagio Secondary School in Kirinyaga County, leaving a trail of destruction.
According to the witnesses, the fire started at around 9.00pm when the students were in for night preps. Beds, mattresses,bags, books and other items belonging to the students were destroyed.
Kirinyaga County disaster management officials arrived after the incident and managed to put out the fire.
"We fought the fire for hours but it reduced everything to ashes, however all the students are safe," said John Kiama, one of the county officials.
"Some of the students who are opposed to internal examinations could be responsible for the fire which caused extensive damage to property in the school," one of the teachers said.
Police said investigations have commenced to ascertain the truth of the matter. The security officers warned that the culprits will be arrested and prosecuted.
The incident came barely three days after two other dormitories were burnt at Karia and Kerugoya boys secondary schools in the same county.
The two institutions have been closed indefinitely and the students were sent home, to pave way for investigations. The wave of the school unrests sweeping across the region has left parents, teachers and education officials worried.
On Monday night, a dormitory was burnt down at Ortum Boys High School in West Pokot County. Investigations into the incident are ongoing but the school was not closed.
Another dormitory at Yemit Boys Secondary School in Elgeyo Marakwet County was also burnt down on Monday night at 9.30pm.
The county police boss, Peter Mulinge told Nation that the students were at nights preps when the fire started and attributed it to “fear of examinations”.
At Bukhalalire Secondary School in Butula Sub-county, Busia County, a dormitory was burnt to ashes on Monday night, destroying bedding and personal effects belonging to 170 students.
The principal of the school, Kati Didimo said the school was not closed despite the incident and that the cause of the fire is yet to be known. No injuries were reported.
"Students have remained in the school as the school sought for well-wishers to support the affected learners with basic requirements. Learning is going on as usual," said Mr Didimo.
Father Makewa High School in Machakos County is among the latest schools to be affected by the wave of students’ unrest. A dormitory hosting 110 students at the school was razed down in a dawn fire suspected to have been started by students. No student was injured.
Other schools in the county that have sent students home after they became riotous include Machakos School, Mumbuni Boys High School, Muthetheni Girls High School, Masii Girls High School, Masinga Boys High School and Mutituni Secondary School.
Students at Jomo Kenyatta Boys High School in Bahati Sub-county were released to go home after they destroyed other school property on September 1 2024, forcing the school principal to call in police officers. Other school which have been reported fire incidents so far include Kagonye Secondary School, Bungoma Boys High School, and Uhuru Secondary in Nairobi. Reporting by George Munene, Pius Maundu, David Muchui, Shaban Makokha, Barnabas Bii and Mercy Kosgey
