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Another School Burnt As Unrest Spreads

The East African Standard (Nairobi)
NEWS
July 28, 2004
Posted to the web July 28, 2004

By Standard Team
Nairobi
Students of Antubetwe-Kiongo Mixed Secondary School in Meru North District were
sent away on Monday night after they went on the rampage.
The 125 students burnt down an abandoned wooden structure that used to be the
school's dining hall before Administration Policemen were called in to stop
further damage.
The APs were mobilised to the school by the Doleli District Officer, Mr
Silvanus Ongusu, when he heard the commotion from his nearby office.
Ongusu and the APs arrived on time and ordered the rioting students to vacate
the compound at around 7pm.
The students had boycotted their supper and evening preps to protest against a
move by the Catholic-run Tuuru Water Scheme to ration water to the school.
The school becomes the third to be shut down in the district this term after
students of Njia Boys and the St Cyprian secondary schools rioted and caused
extensive damage to school property last month.
The District Commissioner, Mr Nkoidila Ole Lankas, condemned the escalating
cases of indiscipline in secondary schools, which he attributed to drug abuse,
poor management and inadequate parental guidance.
Lankas said school managers and teachers should devise effective intelligence
gathering networks to detect the strikes early.
Elsewhere, Nyanza Provincial Director of Education Abdulahi Abdi blamed abuse
of drugs and alcoholism for rising unrest in secondary schools.
Abdi admitted that the problem had placed Kenya's education system at a
crossroads.
Speaking in his office, Abdi also expressed concern that student riots could
erode the high standards of education in the country.
The officer said he did not advocate corporal punishment in schools.
"The issue is to have more, frequent and personal guidance and counselling in
schools," he said.
Elsewhere, secondary school heads in Gucha have been directed to live within
their schools.
The area District Education Officer, Mrs Alice Barino, noted that chronic
absenteeism had contributed to strikes in some schools.
She at the same time asked the teachers to develop inter-personal skills with
the students to ease any growing tensions.
Barino's directives follow increased cases of students' riots in parts of the
country. She was speaking to school heads at Magena Secondary School hall in
Bomachoge constituency.
In a separate incident, 17 students of Nyamira Secondary School have been
suspended indefinitely for reportedly attempting to burn their school.
The Matongo Boys High School students were suspended after appearing before the
school's Board of Governors yesterday.
Board member Mrs Anne Mokoro said the boys were protesting against punishment
for fighting over a girl they had lured into their dormitory.
They had earlier been arrested and locked up at Nyamira Police Station cells
but released two days later without any charges preferred against them.
The Principal, Mr James Machogu, said he recovered a three-litre jerrican full
of petrol hidden in the dormitory.
Fellow students tipped a teacher and foiled the arson attempt.

   

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