A wave of violent unrest has rocked more than ten secondary schools in Kericho and Bomet counties, leaving behind scenes of destruction worth hundreds of millions of shillings. The unrest has led to the indefinite closure of institutions such as Litein Boys, Chebonei Girls, Kamungei, Koiwa Boys, and Tengecha Boys, sparking widespread fear among parents and education stakeholders.
The most affected institution, Litein Boys’ High School, suffered catastrophic damage. Dormitories, classrooms, and administrative blocks were reduced to ruins. Students are accused of arson, burglary, and malicious destruction of property. Eight boys are currently in police custody facing charges after being found with laptops, teachers’ personal effects, and stolen documents.
Principal Richard Sang said assessment teams—including engineers and officers from the Ministry of Education—were working to quantify the cost of damages. Parents, however, remain anxious that the bill will be passed on to them despite economic hardships. Some parents fear they will soon be required to pay for reconstruction, even as they struggle to keep up with school fees.
Investigators are also pursuing claims that outsiders infiltrated the schools during the chaos, looting maize, beans, rice, and computers. Several stolen items have since been recovered in Kericho town and surrounding markets.
Education stakeholders are pointing fingers at security agencies for failing to act, even after being tipped off about the looming unrest. Police reportedly stood idle for hours as fires raged through the school.
The wave of violence has left parents and community leaders calling for urgent intervention. Former minister Franklin Bett urged the creation of an independent body to address the rising unrest, warning that the future of education in the region is at stake.
With reconstruction costs looming, parents are bracing for financial burdens they say they can no longer afford. The situation underscores a wider crisis of discipline, weak security response, and systemic failures in Kenya’s education sector.
