Students arrested on suspicion of arson over a fire at Utumishi Girls' Academy Senior School in Gilgil that killed 16 students and injured 79 others, arrive at the Naivasha Law Courts on June 2, 2026.
The Ministry of Education has ordered tighter supervision of learners, emergency Board of Management meetings and the deployment of hundreds of additional inspectors as it moves to contain a wave of student unrest reported in schools across the country.
This came as a wave of student unrest sweeping across the country continued on Saturday, adding to the abrupt closure of a number of secondary schools in multiple counties.
The unrest has heightened concerns over student safety and exposed growing tensions within Kenya's education system. The worst incident claimed 16 lives and left dozens of students injured in a suspected arson attack at Utumishi Girls Senior School.
Under the new measures, schools have been directed to increase the number of teachers on duty, particularly during evening prep sessions and in dormitory areas, while strengthening communication channels between administrators and learners.
“We have held meetings with field officers who have in turn held meetings with Heads of Institution to strengthen school supervision and open effective communication channels with learners. Measures taken in this connection including Increasing the number of teachers on duty, especially during preps time, with extra vigilance in the dormitory areas,” Education cabinet secretary Julius Ogamba told the Sunday Nation.
Further, Mr Ogamba noted that school heads must strictly adhere to official operating hours and avoid placing undue pressure on learners through extended schedules. He also reiterated the ban on joint and mock examinations, directing all schools to comply with existing regulations.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba.
Mr Ogamba said the government has intensified monitoring in schools, directing senior schools to hold Board of Management meetings to identify potential triggers of unrest and put in place measures to address them before they escalate.
“The ministry has instructed Heads of Institution have to adhere to the ban on joint and mock examinations. All senior schools are now required to call Board of Management meetings to address risks of unrest and appropriate mitigation measures. County Education Board are on standby and under instruction to provide leadership and guidance at the County level,” he said.
He added that County Education Boards have been tasked with supporting schools and providing guidance where needed, as the ministry works closely with regional and county security teams, education officials and school administrators to curb cases of unrest and protect school property.
The ministry is also seeking to bolster school inspections across the country through the recruitment of additional Quality Assurance and Standards Officers.
“We are working in a multi-agency approach, with Regional Commissioners, County Commissioners and other National Government Administration Officers coordinating with Heads of Institution and other education officials in their areas of jurisdiction to prevent or remedy any cases of unrest and destruction of property,” said Mr Ogamba.
The move comes as the ministry seeks to strengthen monitoring and enforcement of standards in schools amid concerns over safety, management and learner welfare.
At the same time, Mr Ogamba dismissed speculation that the government was considering adjustments to the school calendar in response to the unrest. He said the academic calendar will remain unchanged to ensure teaching and learning continue uninterrupted.
Debris and damaged property at a storage facility following a fire at Alliance High School in Kikuyu, Kiambu County on June 4, 2026. School operations were suspended indefinitely as investigations into the incident continued.
“The school calendar will be implemented as is to ensure that normal teaching and learning operations are not interrupted,” he said.
The ministry's assurance comes amid heightened public concern following a series of school disturbances that have renewed scrutiny of safety standards, student welfare and management practices in learning institutions across the country.
The unrest has already forced the closure of several schools, disrupting learning for thousands of students. On Saturday, schools across different counties were closed indefinitely following separate fire incidents, adding to a growing list of institutions affected by arson attacks and student unrest.
The crisis has been thrust into the national spotlight following the death of 16 learners in a dormitory fire at Utumishi Academy and a recent arson incident at Alliance High School, incidents that have intensified fears over conditions in learning institutions and sparked renewed scrutiny of the country's boarding school system.
“The Ministry is seeking to increase the number of Quality Assurance and Standards Officers by 1000 across the country. Already, we have recruited 342 officers, who are now being deployed across the country. This will complement the 600 officers already at work across the country, constituting a total of 942 officers countrywide,” said Mr Ogamba.
On Thursday, Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok noted that only about 80 schools have experienced unrest out of approximately 9,500 schools nationwide. This means that more than 99 per cent of schools are operating normally, and we cannot disrupt the entire academic calendar because of a small number of affected institutions.”
“We have increased the number of quality assurance officers from 600 to 1,000, and we intend to raise this number further to 2,000 within the next year to strengthen inspection and oversight in our schools,” said Prof Bitok.
Principal Secretary for Basic Education Prof Julius Bitok.
“We are rebranding the quality assurance department into the Inspectorate of Schools. These inspectors will oversee curriculum delivery, school facilities, guidance and counselling programmes, student leadership structures and other key aspects of education,” he added.
In the latest incidents, at least 15 schools in Trans Nzoia, Nakuru, Bomet, Kericho, Narok, Kisii and Nyamira counties have either been closed indefinitely or have sent learners home in the past week following fires, suspected arson attacks, strikes and fears of planned unrest.
The latest institution to be affected is St Teresa's Bikeke Girls High School in Kiminini, Trans Nzoia County, which was closed indefinitely on Saturday as a precautionary measure after reports of a planned student strike.
School principal Eva Tsuma requested the release of learners following intelligence reports suggesting a possible rampage at the institution. Trans Nzoia County Director of Education Pamela Akello confirmed the closure, saying investigations were underway.
The closure came barely a day after education stakeholders in the county held a crisis meeting aimed at addressing the growing cases of student unrest.
Trans Nzoia Kenya Union of Post-Primary Teachers Executive Secretary Daniel Kutai said officials had agreed on strategies to monitor emerging student grievances and prevent further disruptions in schools.
"We had a successful meeting on Friday and hoped to prevent further attempts by students to go on a rampage. We were informed of the Bikeke Girls situation and advised the relevant authorities accordingly," said Mr Kutai.
The unrest has also hit schools in the South Rift region, where at least five institutions in Bomet, Kericho and Narok counties have been closed in the last two days alone.
In Bomet County, Saseta Girls, Koiwo Boys and Tenwek Boys have all suspended learning and sent students home amid rising tensions. Tengecha Girls Secondary School in Bureti and Euro Ekulet Secondary School in Narok County have also been closed, with the latter shut after a dormitory fire.
The crisis appears particularly acute in Nakuru County, where at least seven schools have sent learners home following unrest linked to recent fire incidents.
Among the affected institutions are Moi Forces Lanet, St Joseph's Seminary in Molo, Naivasha Girls, Marymount School, and Njoro Girls.
Parents pick their children at Moi Forces Senior School Lanet. It was closed indefinitely after students threatened to burn school over safety concerns.
The closures follow the deadly dormitory fire at Utumishi Girls Senior School in Naivasha that claimed the lives of 16 learners on the night of May 27 and 28, a tragedy that shocked the nation and intensified scrutiny of student safety in boarding schools.
Nakuru County Director of Education Victoria Mulili has urged school administrators to strengthen counselling services and closely monitor learners to prevent further incidents.
In the Gusii region, schools have also been caught up in the unrest. Kisii School was closed indefinitely on Saturday after students allegedly torched the school captain's cubicle during a scheduled visiting day attended by parents.
Sources at the institution said tensions had been building for days, with students reportedly demanding to be allowed to go home amid reports of unrest in schools across the country.
In a message circulated to parents, Principal Fred Mogaka announced that students would be released immediately following consultations with the school's Board of Management.
The abrupt closure left many parents frustrated.
"We have received a message asking us to pick our children and take them home," said Winnie Malemba, a parent who had travelled from Nairobi to visit her son.
Another parent, Geoffrey Nyandeka, criticised the school's handling of the situation, saying parents had incurred significant costs travelling for visiting day only to be asked to take their children home.
At Sironga Girls High School, tensions that began on Friday escalated during a church service on Saturday when students reportedly demanded to be sent home, forcing the administration to close the school.
Meanwhile, Sameta Boys High School was closed earlier this week after a dormitory fire destroyed part of the institution, while Masosa Mixed Secondary School in Nyamira County suffered extensive damage after a girls' dormitory housing 104 learners was gutted by fire on Wednesday.
Although no injuries were reported in the incidents, education stakeholders are increasingly warning that the unrest points to deeper systemic challenges facing schools.
Former Trans Nzoia Kuppet chairman Eliud Wafula said the rising cases of fires and strikes require urgent investigation.
"There must be a root cause to this matter and the government must engage all stakeholders to find a lasting solution," he said.
Reporting by Evans Jaola, Ruth Mbula, Vitalis Kimutai and Joseph Openda
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