NYERI, Kenya, Oct 29 – Agitated students at the Kanjuri High School in Nyeri’s Mathira East sub-county set one of the dormitories on fire demanding for a mid-term break.
The incident which occurred on Friday morning resulted in the destruction of property whose value is yet to be quantified.
Mathira East police boss James Baraza said the fire was started by a section of students who remained in the dormitory while others went for their morning preps at 6am.
He said teachers on duty called in fire fighters from Karatina town who help put out the inferno before it spread to adjacent buildings.
“Students were in their preps when the fire was discovered. More than fifteen beds and other properties had been burnt when the fire was put out but we are assessing the extent of the damage,” said Baraza.
He indicated that preliminary investigations had concluded that the incident was an arson attempt by agitated students who wanted to proceed for midterm.
Baraza said the police had established the school’s management declined the mid-term demand since the same did not feature in the term calendar availed by the Ministry of Education.
“Currently we are meeting the school authorities to forge a way forward, students are still in school it has not been closed yet,” he said.
The incident at Kanjuri High School came barely days after a nearby institution – Kirimara High School – was closed after students went on strike following the management’s refusal to grant them permission to watch a Manchester United versus Liverpool English Premier League match.
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