New measures place heads of learning institutions at centre of unrest crackdown
Education
By
Lewis Nyaundi and Eucabeth Awuor
| Jun 11, 2026
Dormitories destroyed by fire at St Joseph's Seminary School in Molo, Nakuru County. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]
School heads have been put on notice as the government moves to contain a wave of student unrest disrupting learning in senior schools across the country
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said on Wednesday that principals must take responsibility for addressing grievances before they escalate into violence.
The remarks came as the government unveiled a raft of measures aimed at addressing the latest spate of unrest, which has largely been concentrated in boarding schools.
READ MORE
Deal at last! MPs, senators agree to allocate counties Sh428 billion
How weak revenues are testing Ruto's bid to shift from debt to PPPs
People Vs State: Mbadi's Sh4.8tr budget raises tax fears
Why you lost that underground tank after huge investments.
Wealth creation, spending discipline: What I want to hear in Mbadi's budget
House team warns tonnes of raw sugar import may be harmful
UN's push to have governments regulate Africa's housing market
Rethinking mall design and activation in growth towns to boost shopping
Real-time electronic tracking system cuts cargo theft, dumping
“Heads of institutions are reminded that it is their statutory and moral responsibility to ensure that any challenges in their institutions are addressed in good time and that the safety and security of our learners are guaranteed,” Ogamba said.
This comes amid revelations that 204 senior schools country have reported incidents of unrest, with boarding institutions accounting for the majority of the cases.
However, the government maintains that the problem remains confined to a small proportion of schools, noting that less than two per cent of the country’s senior schools have been affected.
Of the institutions that experienced unrest, 59 have already resumed learning, while others are at different stages of recovery and reopening.
Ogamba stated that preliminary assessments point to a combination of factors behind the unrest, including leadership challenges in schools, examination anxiety, poor conditions in some boarding facilities, alcohol and drug abuse, strenuous school routines, peer influence, and copycat behaviour.
However, the CS maintained that no grievance can justify acts that endanger lives or destroy school property.
“Whatever grievances our learners may have, there can never be a justification for causing death and destroying property. Any grievances must only be addressed through appropriate channels without resorting to unlawful actions or violence,” Ogamba said.
The CS further maintained that schools will not be closed earlier than scheduled for the mid-term break.
“The mid-term break for the second term of the 2026 school year will take place as scheduled from June 24 to June 28,” Ogamba said.
The decision means learners will remain in school until the official break, despite concerns that the long second term may be contributing to fatigue and unrest among students.
At the same time, Ogamba announced that beginning next year, the ministry will rationalise the academic calendar to create a more balanced distribution of learning weeks across the three school terms.
Currently, the first term runs for 12 weeks, the second term for 14 weeks, and the third term for nine weeks. Education officials now want to harmonise the calendar so that each term runs for approximately 12 weeks.
The proposed changes are intended to address concerns that the lengthy second term may be contributing to learner fatigue, stress, and growing tensions in boarding schools.
The review marks one of the most significant policy responses to the current unrest and signals the government’s acknowledgement that structural issues within the education system may also be playing a role in fuelling disturbances.
Parents and guardians have been urged to use the mid-term break to spend time with their children and provide guidance on concerns affecting their welfare and academic progress.
Schools have been directed to strengthen guidance and improve grievance-handling mechanisms.