Ingotse Boys High School in Kakamega County has been closed indefinitely after students caused widespread destruction during an incident on Wednesday, May 20.
Reports indicate that students damaged several facilities within the school before walking out of the compound.
Images and videos reviewed by The Kenya Times revealed extensive damage, with key structures, such as the school library, badly affected.
Following the incident, school administrators announced the immediate closure of the institution on Thursday, May 21, directing all students to return home.
Authorities have yet to confirm the reason for the unrest or why the library was specifically targeted. The building suffered severe fire damage, with the roof, windows, and doors destroyed.
Sections of the school were still emitting smoke, suggesting that the fire had taken a long time to fully die down in the morning hours of Thursday.
Earlier School Closure of Mbooni Girls Before Ingotse Boys
The closure of Ingotse Boys High School adds to a growing list of schools that have been shut across the country in recent days.
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Mbooni Girls High School in Makueni County was shut down indefinitely following a disease outbreak that affected several students.
Reports as of May 19 indicate that several learners developed stomach-related symptoms linked to a suspected diarrhea outbreak, prompting urgent intervention by the school management.
According to reports, the affected students were sent home as a precaution after showing signs of illness believed to be related to the outbreak.
School officials said the decision to close the institution was meant to allow medical teams to assess the situation and prevent further spread of the illness. They also noted that sanitation inspections would be carried out within the school.
Parents were subsequently asked to collect their children as part of the safety measures put in place.
Magereza Academy Fire Incident Forces Closure
Magereza Academy in Naivasha was also closed indefinitely on Wednesday, May 13, after a fire broke out in one of the dormitories early in the morning.
Also Read: Mbooni Girls High School Indefinitely Closed After Disease Outbreak
The incident occurred while students were in class, resulting in the destruction of property worth thousands of shillings. No fatalities were reported.
Following the fire, detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Nakuru arrested four students suspected of being behind the incident. Investigators said CCTV footage placed the students at the scene during the fire.
Authorities are continuing their investigations to determine the exact cause of the blaze, with the arrested students expected to provide more details.
Although no serious injuries were recorded, a few students sustained minor injuries while trying to salvage their belongings from the burning dormitory.
The school, which hosts more than 800 students, was closed due to insufficient accommodation after the damage and to allow investigations to proceed without disruption.
