A crackdown on student indiscipline is underway in Kenya as Education CS Julius Ogamba announced stricter measures to restore order in schools. The most notable is that KCSE candidates implicated in serious unrest will not sit exams within their schools but in designated external centres.
This comes after several schools across the South Rift were forced to close following violent riots. Dormitories and dining halls were reduced to ashes, leaving parents with the financial burden of reconstruction.
CS Ogamba said such acts of violence are criminal and must be punished. “We have a legal process that must be followed, but once a student is found guilty of burning or destroying property, the disciplinary committee will decide their fate. The law must take its course,” he declared.
He revealed that students already arrested for arson are facing charges in court. Others risk suspension or expulsion after due disciplinary hearings.
PS Julius Bitok emphasized prevention, urging school administrators and county directors to detect unrest before it escalates. He advised schools to engage students in dialogue while remaining firm on discipline.
Parents remain frustrated by repeated surcharges. One parent disclosed that Sh3 million was required to rebuild a burnt dormitory, with each student paying Sh2,000. “It is unfair for disciplined children and parents to suffer for a few rogue learners,” the parent lamented.
The National Parents Association has expressed support for the ministry’s tough stance, arguing that indiscipline undermines academic performance and puts lives at risk.
As the KCSE examination period draws closer, the government insists it will not tolerate any disturbances, signaling a new era of stricter enforcement of discipline in Kenyan schools.
