Three secondary schools in Bungoma County were closed on Saturday this weekend following separate incidents of student unrest and a dormitory fire, adding to growing concerns over discipline and safety in learning institutions across the country.
The affected schools are Kibabii Boys High School, Bungoma High School and Kabula Boys High School.
At Kibabii Boys High School, learning was suspended after students reportedly staged unrest within the institution. Reports indicate that some learners were heard chanting “Wantam” slogans during the chaos, prompting the school administration to close the school indefinitely as authorities moved to restore order.
Bungoma High School was also shut down after tensions reportedly escalated among students. The administration is said to have released learners as a precautionary measure amid fears that the unrest could worsen. According to reports, some students spent the night in Bungoma town after being sent home, while Grade 10 learners were allowed to remain at the school until Sunday morning before leaving.
In a separate incident, Kabula Boys High School in Bumula Sub-County was closed after a dormitory was reportedly destroyed by fire on Saturday evening. The incident forced the school administration to suspend learning and send students home.
The closure of Kabula Boys was confirmed on Sunday morning as investigations into the cause of the fire got underway.
The three closures come amid increasing reports of unrest and fire incidents in schools in different parts of the country, raising fresh concerns among parents, education stakeholders and authorities over student discipline, school management and the safety of learners.
