462 learners processed over school unrest as government seeks lasting solutions

Fire break out at Kamwala Mixed School in Mwala, Machakos County, destroying the headteacher's office on June 13, 2026. [Daniel Mwongela, Standard]

A total of 462 learners were arrested, investigated, arraigned in court, bonded, remanded, counselled or processed in connection with student unrest incidents countrywide as at June 16.

Education Principal Secretary, John Ololtuaa, yesterday told Parliament that this was established after the Ministry, in collaboration with the National Police Service, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), County Security Committees and Boards of Management, initiated investigations into all reported incidents involving arson, attempted arson, vandalism and other criminal acts.

The offences under investigation included arson, attempted arson, threats of arson, planning and incitement of unrest, vandalism and destruction of property and other unrest-related offences.

 The PS also said that 18 fatalities were reported in connection with fire incidents and cases of student unrest during the report period.

This came as the National Assembly Committee on Education, chaired by Tinderet MP Julius Melly, pushed the Ministry to explain a lasting solution to end the school unrest, particularly reported over the second term, in addition to addressing gaps in quality assurance.

“Nyanza, Eastern and Rift Valley Regions accounted for 328 learners, representing approximately 71 percent of all learners processed in connection with unrest-related incidents. Investigations remain ongoing in several cases, while many learners have already been released on bond, bail, counselling programmes or after completion of investigations. A smaller number remain subject to active court proceedings and other legal processes,” he said.

He said the Ministry is in the final stages of gazetting a Multi- Stakeholder Task Team on Unrest in Schools, with the team expected to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the causes of unrest in schools and make appropriate recommendations on sustainable interventions and policy measures aimed at preventing recurrence, strengthening school safety and promoting a conducive learning environment.

The PS also said the arrests and investigations undertaken have strengthened accountability, facilitated identification of suspected perpetrators and served as an important deterrent against further acts of arson, vandalism and school unrest.

He said the report he presented on the status of school fire incidents and cases of student unrest reported nationwide during the periods April 27 April to June 6, June 7 to 14th and after the half-term break for the period running June 29 to July 31.

Across these three reporting periods, he said 204, 126 and 29 reported cases, respectively, were recorded, comprising actual fire incidents, attempted or threatened arson, student agitation and active disturbances, and precautionary school closures.

Nyanza, Rift Valley and Central had the highest numbers in the regional distribution of all reported incidents, comprising school fire incidents, attempted or threatened arson, student agitation and active disturbances, and precautionary school closures, across the three reporting periods.

Some 123 cases were reported in Nyanza, 55 in Central, 54 in Rift Valley, followed by Eastern with 45; Western had 33 cases, another 27 were in Coast, while Nairobi and Eastern had 21 and 1 case respectively, bringing the total number of schools involved to 359.

He, however, said that a comparative analysis indicates a progressive improvement in the overall security and safety situation in schools during the second term this year.

The total number of reported incidents declined from 204 during the period April 27 to June 6 to 126 during June 7 to 14 before reducing further to 29 after the half-term break.

This, he said, represents an overall reduction of approximately 86 per cent between the first reporting period and the post-half-term period.

Actual fire incidents reduced from 71 incidents during the first reporting period to 24 during the second reporting period. Following the half-term break, 27 fire incidents were reported.

Cases involving attempted, planned or threatened arson declined steadily from 24 cases during the first reporting period to 10 during the second reporting period.

The post-half-term period was characterized by an absence of stand-alone cases of student agitation and active disturbances.

No fatalities were recorded during the second reporting period or after the half-term break.

“In general, the trends indicate that while isolated fire incidents continue to occur in some institutions, the widespread unrest experienced during the early part of the term has significantly subsided,” he said.

To contain the unrest and prevent further escalation, he told the committee that the Ministry has put in place measures including enhanced intelligence gathering and surveillance in schools identified as high-risk and deployment of security personnel to affected institutions.

He also said collaboration between school administrations, Boards of Management and security agencies has been strengthened in addition to guidance, counselling and psychosocial support programmes for learners.

Similarly, he said there has been parents' engagement, religious leaders, local administrators and community leaders in addition to strengthening student grievance-management and conflict-resolution mechanisms.

“There has been continuous monitoring of institutions experiencing tension and copycat behavior. Immediate response to reported incidents through County Education Offices and security agencies and intensified sensitization of learners on school safety, discipline and lawful conduct. These interventions contributed significantly to the reduction in both the frequency and severity of incidents reported after June 10,” he said.

Similarly, he said the Ministry has intensified implementation of school safety measures aimed at preventing recurrence of similar incidents and strengthening preparedness across learning institutions including strengthening fire prevention and response systems in boarding institutions and conducting fire safety audits in schools, particularly boarding schools.

Night-time supervision and monitoring of learners have been enhanced and an improvement to emergency preparedness and evacuation procedures.

But Melly was concerned over repeated fire incidents, saying that the matter should be addressed once and for all to avoid disruptions and subsequent loss of lives.

“We want the Ministry to tell us, despite the measures that the Ministry has taken, what is the lasting solution to fires. There is the tradition almost taking root that in the second term you expect these kinds of unrest,” Melly said.

He also wanted to know the policy on admission and directed the Ministry to provide documents to that effect so that no one just decides the number of students to admit.

“Give us a paper on admission and enrollment so that no one wakes up and says the number of students they should admit, and also a discipline policy. What is the Ministry doing on the use of phones? Are we still outlawing them yet we need the ICT component?” Melly posed.

Kabondo Kasipul MP Eve Obara also wanted to know what the Ministry is doing on school enrollment, given the fact that most schools are overcrowded.

“Can the Ministry come out clean on the number of students that can be enrolled in a classroom and overall, in school because numbers are overwhelming till teachers have nowhere to stand. There is a need to rein in on principals,” she said.

With Igembe North MP Julius Taitumu asking: “What are the possible triggers? Do we have any correlation between fires and fear for exams? Schools are operating like jungles with no rule on the number of students to enroll; don't you have a policy on the number of  learners a school should enroll?”

But the PS said that they are implementing the 100 per cent transition, saying that there is no silent policy on overcrowding.

“What we have is that school heads declare capacity in line with the available infrastructure. We are strengthening the quality assurance measures; we had a shortage of officers and over 400 were recruited and are going for more. We are looking at how to coordinate with regional directors to facilitate them with a budget,” the PS said.