Nyabisase Secondary School in Kisii County has been closed indefinitely following violent unrest among students on July 6.
The unrest, according to the Kisii County Director of Education, Philip Chirchir, resulted from opposition to the posting of a newly transferred principal.
The County Director of Education explained that the events leading to the closure of Nyabisase Secondary and extensive property damage.
Witnesses at the scene noted that students abandoned their classrooms and staged demonstrations against the new school head who had recently transferred from Mochorwa Secondary School.
The protest soon turned violent as learners confronted teachers within the school compound, with videos from the scene showing groups of students, some concealing their identities with paper bags.
While the public condemns the students’ act of violence, others claimed that the rejection of the new principal is an incitement by stakeholders in the school.
“Students of Nyabisase Secondary School rejected the new Principal because they were incited by some stakeholders, including parents. I wonder why they are involving students to an extent of torching a dormitory, yet it is the parents who will pay,” Nancy Omweri stated.
Teachers Forced to Flee as Running Battles Erupt
Following the escalation of the attack, teachers were forced to engage in running battles to escape the stones thrown at them.
Learners armed with stones reportedly chased teachers across the compound, forcing many members of staff to seek safety.
Efforts by school administrators to restore calm proved unsuccessful as the unrest spread throughout the institution, with the outnumbered teachers eventually forced to retreat, leaving the students in control of a larger section of the school compound.
The unrest took a destructive turn when a section of the students stormed one of the school dormitories and set it on fire.
According to the police officers and security agencies that had arrived at the scene to restore calm, the fire is reported to have caused significant damage to school property and further heightened tensions within the school.
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Nyabisase Secondary School Students Reject Newly Posted Principal
Following the dormitory fire, students reportedly forced open the school’s main gate and streamed out of the institution while chanting slogans rejecting the newly appointed principal.
The learners maintained that they would not accept the new administrator, whose recent transfer to the school is believed to have triggered the protest.
The appointment of the new principal by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) follows the recent retirement of the outgoing principal, David Ogega.
Before the retirement of David Ogega, the school celebrated in honor of the outgoing principal on June 30.
In his four-year reign, Nyabisase Mixed Secondary School has been ranked among the top-performing learning institutions in Kisii County.
Authorities have not yet established whether there were additional grievances behind the unrest. However, the incident prompted a swift response from both education and security authorities.
Kisii County Director of Education Philip Chirchir, accompanied by senior security officers, arrived at the school to assess the damage and oversee efforts to restore order.
Police officers were deployed to the institution as investigations into the violence and destruction of property commenced.
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School Closed Indefinitely
In response to the chaotic incident at the school, education officials ordered the indefinite closure of the school until further notice on the way forward.
Students were directed to vacate the institution as authorities launched investigations and restored calm in the area.
In addition, police have launched investigations to establish the circumstances that led to the unrest and identify those responsible for the torching of the dormitory.
As investigations continue, Nyabisase Secondary School remains closed, with education officials working alongside security agencies to deliberate toward the reopening of the learning institution.
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