Security concerns are mounting over a school in Nyamira County following the mysterious disappearance of two Form Four learners just days before their Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations.
Herly Atieno and Ashenance Akinyi Onyango went missing on October 25, 2025, and their whereabouts remain unknown.
The learners, who are students at Sironga High School in Nyamira County, were among the candidates expected to sit the KCSE this year.
Herly’s mother, Ms Noel Barasa, says she last saw her daughter on October 17 when she accompanied her to school. She said her daughter had been jovial and vowed to register good results in the national examinations.
However, on the morning of October 25, she received a distress call from the school informing her that Herly had gone missing.
“The teacher was calling to inquire if Herly had travelled back home,” said Ms Barasa.
She recalls calling her daughter while at school on October 22, and that she was doing quite well. She had also promised to send the teenager pocket money, a promise she honoured on Friday — a day before she disappeared. On Sunday, she said that the school had reported the matter to the police.
“I am yet to receive any detailed information about my daughter’s disappearance. How safe are our schools when the teachers cannot account for our children?” said Ms Barasa.
“I am convinced that the school only learnt that my daughter was missing after I sent the money — that could be the reason why they called the following day,” she added.
Ashenance, also a classmate of Herly, is alleged to have gone missing the same day. Her father, Eric Onyango, says his daughter went missing on Wednesday evening, the same day Herly is said to have disappeared.
“All along, I knew my daughter was in school preparing for the KCSE examinations. I was shocked when the school called to ask if my daughter was with me,” said Mr Onyango.
According to the two families, the matter is currently under investigation. The missing learners are said to have been close friends and studied in the same stream at the school.
Earlier, the two girls were among 37 students who had been suspended from the school for being in possession of mobile phones.
“When I last spoke with my daughter, she asked if I had forgiven her about the suspension. I assured her of my forgiveness,” said Ms Barasa.
The parents expressed doubts about the school’s security status, questioning the administration on how the learners went missing despite the presence of watchmen.
The school, according to the parents, has also been fitted with CCTV cameras to monitor movements.
“The school is not doing enough to find our children. Most of the education officers we have reached out to also say there’s nothing they can do, since the matter is with the police,” she said.
According to Mr Onyango, an attempt to reach out to the girl’s active Instagram account failed to bear fruit.
When reached for an interview, Sironga Girls High School Principal Jane Nyanumba said that the school would comment on the matter of the missing students later, after exams.
“The police are handling the investigation of the case. I will comment once the exams are done,” she said.
