Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang indicated that security institutions have put in place systems to ensure the safety of students and school property/FILE
Through a press statement, Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang indicated that security institutions have put in place systems to ensure the safety of students and school property.
He urged students, teachers and school administrators to be calm and avoid confrontation and destruction of property by deliberately addressing issues of concern to the school community.
“The Education Cabinet Secretary is scheduled to have a consultative meeting with members of the clergy and that of the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA) at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development tomorrow (Thursday) to deliberate on the matter with a view to exploring ways of ensuring long term solution to the problem,” he stated.
He further pointed out that in view of the unrests and arson attacks in schools, the education Ministry had found it necessary to continue holding consultative meetings with stakeholders.
“The country has witnessed an inexplicable wave of school unrests with valuable school infrastructure set on fire during the better part of Second Term in the Schools Calendar. In view of the unrests and arson attacks in schools, the Cabinet Secretary has found it necessary to continue holding consultative meetings with stakeholders,” he said.
Head teachers on Wednesday held a crisis meeting with the Ministry of Education over the spate of school unrest even as they sought the closure of the institutions to address the matter.
The talks involved the Kenya Secondary Schools Head teachers Association, the Teachers Service Commission and Ministry officials.
The officials were expected to review their findings on the causes of fires that have affected over 100 schools and prompted the arrest of more than 200 students and teachers.
A status report on the crisis prepared by secondary school heads named drug abuse by students, political interference, laws that are too lenient on minor offenders, parents abdicating their responsibility and anxiety over examinations among the causes of unrest in schools.
Thirteen students have been charged with burning of dormitories at the Lang’ata Boys High School are being held at the Kamiti juvenile remand home to allow police conclude investigations.
The head teachers meeting comes even as six more schools were burnt Tuesday night.
At St Stephen High School in Narok, two students were injured when a dormitory was burnt while another fire was reported at Kiini Girls High school in Kirinyaga and Giakaibei Secondary School in Nyeri.
Other schools affected included St Patrick’s High School in Iten, Merti Muslim Girls High School in Isiolo and Withur Secondary School in Nyando.
The incidents have raised a lot of concern with a number of school heads emphasising the need for professional guidance and counselling therapists to be employed to help the students.
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