A fresh wave of unrest has swept through secondary schools across the country, forcing the closure of several institutions and disrupting learning just weeks before the second-term half-term break.
The latest institution to be affected is Loreto High School, Limuru, where an overnight student disturbance prompted the administration to suspend learning and direct parents and guardians to immediately pick up their children.
“Parents and guardians of students at Loreto are urged to immediately collect their children,” the school said in a communication.
The closure adds to a growing list of schools that have sent learners home following unrest.
At Moi Forces Academy, Lanet, parents were directed to pick up Grade 10 and Form Three students after a similar incident of unrest.
The schools join a growing number of institutions that have recently been forced to suspend learning as administrators move to avert further disturbances and restore calm.
Naivasha Girls’ High School was among the first institutions to close shortly after the deadly Utumishi Girls’ Academy fire tragedy that claimed 16 students and left dozens injured.
On Tuesday, Saseta Girls’ Secondary School in Bomet was also closed following rising tensions among students.
Parents were informed through the school’s WhatsApp platform to arrange for the safe collection of their children as education officials moved in to assess the situation.
Lenana School was similarly forced to release learners the same day after unrest broke out during evening prep sessions.
In a notice to parents, the school administration said: “Dear Parents/Guardians, following the restlessness and disturbance experienced during preps in the school last night, the Board of Management and the school administration have resolved to temporarily release all students to allow for restoration of normalcy and a comprehensive assessment of the situation.”
The unrest comes at a critical period in the academic calendar.
Schools reopened for the second term on April 27 and are expected to close on July 31.
Learners are also only three weeks away from the second-term half-term break scheduled between June 24 and June 28.
Education stakeholders fear the disruptions could affect syllabus coverage, internal examinations and preparations for national assessments if the trend continues.
The incidents have also renewed debate over the causes of student unrest in Kenyan schools, with experts pointing to academic pressure, welfare concerns, mental health challenges, harsh disciplinary measures and inadequate communication channels between students and school administrations.
In recent years, school strikes have frequently destroyed property, caused injuries and prolonged closures, disrupting learning for thousands of students.
With several schools now affected within days of each other, pressure is mounting on education authorities to investigate the underlying causes and implement measures to restore calm in learning institutions.
Speaking recently at Fr Makewa Secondary School in Machakos, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba urged school heads to embrace new administrative approaches to address rising cases of student unrest.