The government is closely monitoring student behaviour, and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations will capture and keep records of misconduct for future reference, Basic Education Principal Secretary John Ololtuaa has said.
“In future, if you look for a job, your record, fingerprints and everything will be taken. Society must be founded on morals and patriotism, and this must extend to learners and parents,” he added, cautioning learners against unruly behaviour, the destruction of property and endangering the lives of their colleagues.
Recently, school arson attacks have claimed 18 lives and destroyed many educational institutions across the country. Unrest has also disrupted learning in several schools.
Basic Education Principal Secretary John Ololtuaa.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
“Whatever is happening must end. How many countries in the world have you seen schools being set ablaze by learners? We must be people who love ourselves and our country. Let us stop the arson attacks,” he said.
The PS also urged education stakeholders to stop blame games and instead seek lasting solutions to the unrest. He commended principals for their efforts in maintaining discipline and safeguarding student welfare, despite mounting challenges.
He posed a rhetorical question to learners: “Do you torch your fathers’ houses whenever there are challenges, including lack of food?” He urged them to reconsider their behaviour and respect school property.
Mr Ololtuaa emphasised that improving student discipline requires renewed focus from all stakeholders, including parents, teachers and the wider community.
He urged parents to play a more active role in guiding their children, emphasising that schools alone cannot be expected to instil values.
Drawing on his experience as a principal, Mr Ololtuaa recounted how he had once defused a potentially explosive situation.
He recalled walking to school one morning to find students marching towards a nearby police station to 'rescue' a colleague they thought was being mistreated.
“When I asked them who had told them, they simply said they heard. I instructed three of them to go with me to confirm the allegations at the station while the rest returned to school. When we arrived, we found their colleague relaxed, drinking tea and mandazi with police officers. The witnesses narrated the truth to their peers, who then begged for mercy and promised never to repeat such behaviour,” he said.
The nine Utumishi Girls Senior School students suspected of torching their school dormitory killing 16 colleagues before the Naivasha Law Court on June 3, 2026.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
The PS said that this incident demonstrated both the challenges of managing student discipline and the importance of calm leadership and dialogue in resolving tensions.
Since April 27, the country has recorded 330 cases of school unrest , including 95 fire incidents and 34 attempted arson attacks. This worrying trend has left 18 students dead and raised concerns about safety and leadership in schools.
In order to address these challenges, Mr Ololtuaa assured school principals that the Ministry of Education would strengthen guidance and counselling programmes, as well as introduce mental health support in educational institutions.
He also urged stakeholders to prioritise robust parenting programmes, emphasising that discipline begins at home. The PS called on religious organisations to collaborate with the Ministry of Education by engaging parents in places of worship and other institutions to consider their responsibilities for instilling discipline and values in children.
“We need to call upon the entire nation, especially our students, to understand that what they do will continue to affect them. I don’t know whether they really understand the magnitude of what they are doing,” he said. “I agree there are challenges facing schools, but these are not enough reasons for learners to do what they are doing.”
He called for a national conversation on patriotism, beginning at the family level and extending to schools and communities.
Mr Moses Nthurima, the acting Secretary-General of the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers, commended principals for their role in managing student unrest.
“The unrest, which affected all categories of schools, was a reflection of deeper contradictions within Kenyan society. School leaders played a critical role in restoring calm and maintaining normalcy during a difficult period,” he said.
Mr Nthurima emphasised that principals had gone beyond their call of duty to protect learners and institutions, even as broader societal challenges continued to spill into schools.
