Peter Mwai and John Ngirachu
23 July 2008
Nairobi — Students from schools affected by unrest have given a wide range of reasons for their actions, most of which resulted in losses running into millions of shillings.
Discontent with the school administration, disputes with teachers, the prospect of mock examinations and harassment by older students have been cited.
At Upper Hill School where perhaps the worst incident, which led to the death of a Form Three student occurred, students claim that the closure of the school canteen had sparked the unrest.
When the Nation visited the school, a new but yet to be opened canteen stood a few metres from the burnt dormitory.
Students at Lenana School cited bullying by senior students, the administration's failure to address their grievances and the deputy principal's high-handedness as reasons for the unrest.
Principal Peter Warui said the Form Fours had coerced students in the lower forms to join their protests, hoping that the school would be closed to avoid sitting for mock examinations.
He said the students placed more emphasis on extra-curricular activities at the expense of their studies, hence the desire to avoid examinations at all costs.
At Royal Star Academy, where the boys' dormitory was set on fire yesterday, students said they were provoked by the deputy principal when he slapped a student.
At Pumwani Secondary, where police spent the night on Sunday to avert a riot, students complained of high-handedness by the administration and said the dormitories were congested. They also complained about the quality of food.
The school has in recent times lost two dormitories to fire suspected to have been started by the students.
At Muhuri Muchiri Secondary in the city's Ruai estate, the students blamed the examinations and said they were stressed.
Ngara Girls' High was closed after students from neighbouring schools tried to enter the compound on Monday.
At Moi Girls' High School, Isinya, the girls refused to attend class despite orders from their teachers to do so, forcing the principal to close the school for a week.
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