It is the season of student unrest in Kenya and six high schools in Kericho County in the sprawling Rift Valley region have already been closed down indefinitely after leaners destroyed property – burning classrooms, dormitories, teachers houses and offices.

Some of the demands have been described educationists as outrageous because school principals, head-teachers or teachers are not subject to “one term” of service. Three months make up a term in Kenya’s education calendar.

In another school, students demanded to be allowed to watch live English Premier League matches.

In the latest incident, Chemomul Secondary School in Belgut in Kericho County was closed down indefinitely on Wednesday and students sent away after they set ablaze the school’s administration block and razed down the teachers’ houses.

Belgut Sub-County Police Commander David Koech confirmed that the unruly students burnt to ashes administration offices and moved to the teachers’ residences where they smashed windowpanes and broke down doors of buildings.

Koech said in an interview that the students’ unrest started on Sunday when over 180 form-four leaners declined to sit for their end of term examinations, arguing that they preferred to read and prepare for final national examinations.

Acting School Principal Isaac Salat said efforts to calm down the students and deter them from destroying school property were unsuccessful and he was forced to call in anti-riot police who by the time they arrived at the scene, found the students had brought down school offices and teachers’ houses. 

The sub-county police commander said efforts by area residents to put out the fire were blocked by the unruly students who barred them from accessing the school compound.

“The entire school compound is in a mess as learning materials are scattered all over the place. with the administration block brought down. The examinations that were supposed to be administered were all burned,” Koech said.

He said that no arrest has been made and investigations are ongoing. “We will make an arrest in due course after the investigations are completed,” he said.

Meanwhile, County Director of Education Julius Ngoneshi confirmed that three students from Moi Tea Secondary School in the county have been arrested after CCTV footage captured them and positively identified them while setting fire to one of the institution’s buildings. Ngoneshi said the three students will soon appear in court over charges related to arson and destruction of school property.

While presenting a report on the status of school unrests in the county Monday to the National Government Development County Implementation Coordination and Management Committee (NGD-CICMC), Ngoneshi reported that swift action by the fire brigade from the multinational tea estates put out the fire before it spread to adjacent school infrastructure.

Among the institutions that have been rocked by unrest in the county are Litein Boys’ High School, Kipsinende Secondary School, Kiowa High School, Kiptewit Boys’ High School in Bureti and Kipsigis Girls’ High School.

Ngoneshi told the meeting that was chaired by the Kericho County Commissioner Gilbert Kitiyo that some of the grievances the students raised for striking were beyond the management of the institutions.

“The demands made by the learners are shocking and way beyond the admissible limits that the management can allow in an ordinary learning institution based on the standards and guidelines of the Ministry of Education,’’ Ngoneshi pointed out.

Kipsigis Girls High School students demanded that the school principal only serves one term, Ngoneshi said.  He described the demands as outrageous because school principals, head-teachers or teachers are not subject to “one term” of service.

The students also demanded to be allowed to watch live English Premier League matches. Kitiyo said that some of the students’ demands can be resolved to avoid future unrest by allowing them to watch international football premier leagues matches of their choice.

Kitiyo noted that those found inciting the students to strike should also be disciplined as a deterrence.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Dominic Cheres