PS Calls Emergency Meeting for High School Principals on May 14

The Ministry of Education has summoned all public secondary school principals and field officers to an emergency virtual meeting to address rising student unrest across the country. The meeting has been rescheduled for Thursday, May 14 at 8am and will be chaired by the Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok. This postpones the original date of May 13. Through a May 12 circular, the PS directed all regional, county, and sub-county education directors to ensure all school heads attend the meeting. “You are asked to inform all principals of public secondary schools within your jurisdiction to attend the meeting. The link will be shared before the meeting,” the circular stated. A key agenda for the meeting is the growing unrest in secondary schools nationwide, with some incidents resulting in injuries, property loss and school closures. In recent weeks, schools have experienced students staging strikes, walkouts, fires and nighttime departures, disrupting operations in several counties. On May 12, students at Kaumoni Boys High School in Makueni County reportedly set several administrative blocks on fire. In April, Mirithu Girls Secondary School in Kiambu County was indefinitely closed after unspecified incidents, while in January, Matungulu Boys Secondary School suffered a fire that destroyed four dormitories. In February, Njoro Girls Senior School in Nakuru County was indefinitely closed after protests following the death of a Form Four student, with learners accusing school administrators of negligence. Kangaru Boys Secondary in Embu County, and Chebwagan Boys High School in Kericho County have also been affected by strikes. The Ministry of Interior had previously announced measures to curb the growing unrest, targeting multiple counties including Kericho, Nandi, Nakuru, Kitui, Tharaka Nithi, Kakamega, Narok, Kisii, Nyeri, Nyamira, Kajiado, Migori, Kirinyaga, Trans Nzoia and Nairobi. The urgent meeting of all principals aims to discuss solutions to restore order, safeguard learners and ensure teaching continues without disruption.