Government Considers Abolishing Boarding Schools in Kenya

The government says it's considering abolishing boarding primary and secondary schools in the country due to the high rate of arson cases.

Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang said the ministry sees this as one of the ways of ending the menace that has been recurring almost every year.

“The direction that we need to go is a day school system where students operate from home. The ministry would want to increase opportunities in day schooling so that parents can have an opportunity of engaging their children and making sure that the children are properly taken care of,” said the PS.
 
Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed said three students have so far been jailed and 125 others arrested in connection to fire incidents in their schools.

“Three students from Siakago Boys in Embu have been jailed for one year on probation and have since cleared from the school. They can only attend a day school as they report to the local chief,” said Amb. Mohamed.

“125 students from various affected schools have been arrested as police intensify the crackdown on all masterminds of the recent cases of student unrest.”

In the last two weeks, more than 15 boarding secondary schools have experienced cases of unrest, most of them being arson incidents targeting dormitories.

Amina attributed the cases to general indiscipline and the tough examination rules by the ministry aimed at stamping out cheating.

Earlier this week, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) put on notice all students engaging in criminal activities.

Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti said the DCI will archive the students' criminal records and have them reflected in certificates of good conduct in the future.