More than 1,100 students of Kaumoni Boys’ High School, Makueni County have been sent home indefinitely after they went on rampage and damaged property of unknown value at the institution.
The incident occurred at around early Wednesday when the students reportedly turned violent and vandalized several sections of the school, including the administrative offices, classrooms, laboratories and food stores.
Makueni Sub-County Director of Education Richard Ng’ang’a confirmed the incident while speaking to the Kenya News Agency in Wote Town.
According to Ng’ang’a, the students burned down the offices of the principal, deputy principal, secretary, and bursar. They also shattered windowpanes in all tuition blocks and damaged laboratory pipes and chemicals.
“The students have been sent home indefinitely because they caused massive destruction at the school,” he said.
The director further noted that the students destroyed food supplies stored in the kitchen, including rice, maize, beans, sugar, milk, and cooking oil. They also vandalized the generator and canteen while breaking into the staff room and taking valuables belonging to teachers.
“Some chemicals in the laboratory were destroyed, records in the examination office damaged, and food items in the store spoiled during the incident,” he added.
Ng’ang’a disclosed that officers from the Public Works Department had already visited the institution to assess and determine the value of the destroyed property.
At the same time, officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Sub-County Quality Assurance Office have launched investigations into the incident.
Teachers and other members of staff have also been questioned to help establish the motive behind the strike.
Despite the destruction, Ng’ang’a assured parents and guardians that efforts were being made to ensure learning resumes soon, considering that Form Four students are preparing for the national examinations next term.
“We do not want the students to remain at home for long because this is a critical academic period. The Board of Management (BoM) will meet on Friday to deliberate on when learning will resume,” he stated.
He added that the students will be reporting back to school in phases once the BoM finalizes its recommendations.
The incident comes barely a week after another case of school unrest was reported at Kavuthu Secondary School in Nzaui Sub-County, where a dormitory and several mattresses were burned.
One student linked to the incident was later arraigned in court and released on a cash bail of Sh5,000.
By Patrick Nyakundi
