The students allegedly attempted to torch the store in the ablution block. [Kelvin Karani, Standard]

Mama Ngina Girls High School in Mombasa has been closed indefinitely after students attempted to burn the institution.

On Wednesday, Mombasa County Education Director Peter Magiri said the students attempted to torch the store in the ablution block.

Magiri said the fire was put off on time, and there were no major damages reported.

He said the county security team and the school board of management convened a crisis meeting and resolved that the students should be sent home.

“We have sent away the students to allow time for investigation and prevent similar happenings in future,” Magiri said.

Parents who came to pick their children pointed accusing fingers at the school management for being mum about their children welfare.

They claimed this is the third attempt to torch the school, but the management has been giving contradicting information, which they think was a cove-up.

Mama Ngina Girls High School students. [Kelvin Karani, Standard]

Mr Hamad Hassan, a parent, said they were not informed about the incident in time, causing anxiety.

“We were not told of the incident in time. We learned of this insist very late and caused us panic,” he said.

This comes barely two days after Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha said the ministry is contemplating reintroducing caning in schools and ending boarding schools under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) system.

Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (Kessha) national chairman Indimuli Kahi suggested that the national examinations be pushed forward by two more months following the unrest in schools.