Bunyore Girls, Maranda Boys Schools Closed As 6 Are Arrested
Bunyore Girls High School administrators closed the school on Monday evening after students boycotted classes and threatened to burn infrastructure.
Hellen Nyang’au, County Director of Education, confirmed the decision to close the school, citing growing unrest at the Vihiga County-based national school.
Also Read: TSC provides sobering advice to alcoholic teachers
The girls are scheduled to leave school on Tuesday. On Monday evening, parents were notified of the decision to send their children home.
Students threatened to burn down the school. Parents were then asked to send fare “as soon as now” for their children to return home.
“Dear parents, good evening. I’m sorry to inform you that the girls will be returning home tomorrow (Tuesday) due to unrest.
“Good evening dear parents. I am saddened to let you know the girls are coming home tomorrow (Tuesday) due to unrest.
“They (students) threatened to burn the school. Please organise to send fare as soon as now.”
Bunyore is the third school in Vihiga County to close due to unrest, following Chavakali and Senende.
Students in Chavakali and Senende set fire to their dormitories and vandalized property.
Maranda Boys School Closed, 6 Arrested
The decision to close the Maranda school was made after officials from the Ministry of Education agreed to allow the school management to repair the razed 178-person dormitory.
Nelson Sifuna, the director of education in Siaya county, said six students were arrested and taken into custody for questioning at the Bondo sub-county police station in connection with the fire last night.
Sifuna confirmed that no one was hurt, but the form four students who stay in the dormitory lost all of their personal belongings.
He urged all stakeholders to remain calm in order for the school to be reorganized, adding that the student would be recalled as soon as proper arrangements were made.
The director stated that the value of the damage at the burned-out dormitory has yet to be determined, so the amount that each student will be expected to pay cannot be determined right away.
He urged all county principals to be alert and vigilant in order to avoid such incidents in their schools.
Also Read:
- Ways Teachers Can Make Extra Money
- Narok County Partners with Japan to Improve Schools Infrastructure
- Autopsy: Grade 2 Pupil Was Sodomised Then Choked to Death
- KUCCPS Placement Delay Leaves Students in Limbo as Funding crisis Hits Universities
- MPs Conclude Probe into 2022 KCSE Exams Cheating Allegations
Siaya County Governor Cornell Rasanga, who visited the school, urged well-wishers to come and help salvage the situation, stating that the students needed to return to school as soon as possible.
Education CS Prof. George Magoha has dismissed claims that the frequent burning of schools is attributed to stresses of covid-19.
However, a lack of proper discipline from a few parents who have mismanaged the upbringing of their children could be the cause according to the CS.
Magoha warned students against torching schools, saying they will be dealt with in accordance with the law.
