The Principal Secretary (PS), State Department for Children Welfare and Social Protection, Carren Ageng’o, has called for stronger internal dialogue mechanisms in schools as a key strategy to avert the rising cases of student unrest.
Speaking after attending a prayer service at Nyakach Girls National School in Kisumu County, Ageng’o encouraged school management and learners to explore alternative ways of resolving disputes to ensure the learning environment remains peaceful.
She stressed that open communication with the students would create a safer learning environment and improve conflict resolution mechanisms.
Ageng’o lauded the school’s administration for its proactive engagement with learners through effective disciplinary and communication structures that bring together students, teachers, parents, and other stakeholders.
“We have seen how the girls are very excited, with no complaints, a sign that they have healthy relationships in this school. I want to urge other schools to emulate positive communication with the students to create an environment that is safe for learning and not an environment of discomfort,” Ageng’o advised.
Ageng’o, an alumna of the institution, acknowledged the challenges facing the school, including overstretched infrastructure; however, she commended the students for their resilience and commitment to their studies.
“This is a school whose facilities are under considerable strain due to the growing student population. The dining hall is operating beyond its capacity, and the dormitories are overcrowded.
However, despite these challenges, the students have shown resilience and remained focused on their education,” she said.
The PS urged students across the country to remain disciplined and stay focused on their education, saying academic success can only be achieved through commitment and perseverance.
“This is a message we need to pass to all students and learning institutions facing various challenges: that it is still possible to nurture disciplined learners who understand the importance of remaining in school and prioritizing their education,” she said.
Ageng’o cited Nyakach Girls National School as an example of how discipline and effective student engagement can foster stability and academic focus.
“At a time when some schools are experiencing unrest and students are demanding to leave school, Nyakach Girls has chosen a different path. The school has demonstrated that discipline works and that students can remain committed to their studies despite the challenges they face,” she added.
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Deputy Secretary-General, Hezborn Otieno, reiterated that all students should observe discipline and find alternative means of addressing their grievances.
Otieno attributed the wave of unrest in schools to peer-induced indiscipline, which he said has led to the destruction of critical infrastructure.
He expressed concern over the ongoing cases of unrest in schools, saying such behaviour should not be tolerated and must be strongly condemned.
Otieno noted that incidents of chaos and violence in learning institutions place both students and teachers at risk, disrupt the learning process, and undermine efforts to provide a safe and conducive learning environment.
“It is something that should not be condoned because when that kind of chaos happens in school, everybody is at risk. Even our teachers will be affected; some of them will be attacked by the same students. So we want our schools to maintain their calm,” the KNUT Deputy Secretary-General said.
He stressed the need to adhere to the school calendar, warning against early closure of learning institutions, which he argued could lead to the loss of valuable learning time and disruption of the education system.
“The school calendar must proceed uninterrupted so that all planned academic activities are completed by the end of the year. Disruptions to the academic calendar come at a great cost,” he said.
He urged students across the country to remain focused on their studies and avoid actions that interfere with learning.
“We are appealing to our students to return to school, concentrate on their education, and remain committed to the purpose that brought them to school,” he added.
By Robert Ojwang’
