Revealed: State’s new security plan in long school holidays
Students walk on the streets of Nakuru City on their way home after schools countrywide closed for the December holiday on October 17, 2025.
What you need to know:
- The government has ordered regional security committees to remain alert to threats that could undermine children’s right to education.
- The directive forms part of a broader security advisory issued when schools closed for the 60-day holiday, which ends in January 2026.
The government has declared the Christmas and New Year school holidays a national security concern, ordering regional security committees to remain alert to threats that could undermine children’s right to education.
The directive forms part of a broader security advisory issued when schools closed for the 60-day holiday, which ends in January 2026.
Speaking after the release of the 2025 Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA) results for 1,130,669 Grade 9 learners, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the State is determined to ensure all pupils return to school safely.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos at the media briefing during the release of the 2025 Kenya Junior Schools Education Assessment results at Mitihani House.
“We agreed when schools closed that, as a government, we would treat the long holiday as a security issue. We now only have the peak festive days to go before we reunite in classrooms,” Mr Ogamba said, adding that all relevant agencies must continue protecting learners.
Security agencies across all 47 counties are monitoring risks including female genital mutilation, gang indoctrination, early marriages, drug and alcohol abuse, child labour, cultism, child sexual exploitation and harmful post-circumcision rituals. These efforts are being coordinated through multi-agency teams under the Interior and Education ministries.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen last month warned that safeguarding children during the long holiday was non-negotiable. “It will not be excusable for any security manager to lapse in any of the areas we have mapped out,” he said, urging firm action against anyone endangering children’s welfare.
Nairobi Regional Commissioner Gilbert Kitiyo said security operations are concentrated in informal settlements, where children are most vulnerable.
“We have been briefed nationally to ensure 100 per cent school resumption in January, except where natural attrition makes this impossible,” he said.
Child Welfare Society of Kenya official Regina Mungania said school holidays expose children to recurring risks, calling for collective responsibility.
“Parents and community institutions must work closely with agencies mandated to protect children,” she said.
At the Coast, Deputy Commissioner Mbogo Mathioya said a security circular on child welfare was issued on October 22, 2025, noting that the directive has attracted the direct attention of the Head of State. He warned that in some cases, parents or close relatives exploit children for crime, particularly in narcotics and illicit brews.
Family coach Valerie Asego cautioned that long holidays place greater responsibility on parents.
“Much as schools build intellectual capacity, critical aspects of discipline, values and emotional growth can only be imparted at home,” she said.
Public Service Vehicles at a terminus on Kenneth Matiba Road in Nairobi on Monday, December 1, 2025.
Kajiado County Police Commander Alexander Shikondi said police stations and patrol bases have been directed to work closely with chiefs and community policing units. Officers are monitoring locations where children may be exposed to alcohol, drugs, gambling and sexual exploitation, and parents or guardians will be required to present themselves if a child is found in such settings.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police Gilbert Masengeli recently ordered police in Murang’a to clamp down on Gender-Based Violence, warning that no crime should be normalised.
Maragua Senior Assistant County Commissioner Joshua Okello echoed the warning, saying bars admitting children would be shut down and operators prosecuted.
Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya said corruption and laxity remain major obstacles to protecting children.
“These cartels are known. With dedication and integrity, they can be dismantled quickly,” he said.
In addition, education officials have appealed to parents and guardians to remain actively engaged with their children throughout the holiday, warning that security measures alone cannot substitute parental supervision.
They urged families to monitor children’s movements, online activity and peer associations, particularly during the festive period when supervision tends to loosen and exposure to harmful influences increases.
The government has also signalled that enforcement will continue beyond the holiday season, with post-holiday assessments planned to identify regions where learners fail to return to school
Psychologist Anthony Njenga said effective child protection begins at home, urging parents to prioritise dialogue, presence and emotional support.
He noted that economic hardship and weak support systems exacerbate parenting challenges, warning that poverty itself poses a serious threat to children’s safety.
