Migori: Students of Migori Boys High School staged a rare peaceful demonstration early to condemn the recent wave of school arson incidents reported across the country in local institutions.
According to Kenya News Agency, the more than 2,000 students marched in the streets along the Kisii-Isebania highway chanting in Kiswahili: ‘Sichomi Shule Yangu (I am not burning my school’) and declaring that destruction of learning institutions is contrary to their values and culture. Holding and displaying placards with messages promoting peace, discipline, and education, the students urged their peers in other schools to reject violence and focus on their academic goals.
Speaking to the press during the demonstration, Migori Boys Chief Principal Jared Ooko Opondo commended the students for taking a positive stand against school unrest and choosing dialogue over destruction. ‘We have had productive discussions with our students on the consequences of burning schools. At the end of the day, it is parents who suffer most because many of our learners come from humble backgrounds,’ said Mr Opondo.
The principal warned that school strikes and arson incidents disrupt learning and could negatively affect candidates preparing for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination. ‘When schools are closed due to unrest, teaching and learning stop. Yet students are expected to complete the syllabus within a specific period. Such disruptions ultimately affect academic performance,’ he added.
Opondo attributed many cases of school unrest to poor parenting and a breakdown in communication between parents and children. He urged parents to engage their children regularly and instill moral values that promote responsible behavior.
Migori Boys Boarding Master Patrick Sikoi praised the students for voluntarily organizing the demonstration and taking ownership of the campaign against school arson. ‘I appreciate our boys for this initiative and urge students across Kenya to stop burning schools and instead focus on their studies and future aspirations,’ said Sikoi. He emphasized that continuous dialogue between school administrators, teachers, and learners remains one of the most effective ways of preventing unrest in schools.
The official also called for strengthening guidance and counselling departments to address students’ concerns before they escalate. Mr. Austin Obadiah, who is the school students’ head boy, urged learners across the country to reject acts of destruction, noting that school fires often result in loss of lives, property, and educational opportunities. He also noted that a number of learners who are sponsored by well-wishers risk losing such sponsorship due to such cases of indiscipline. ‘Many students in our schools come from disadvantaged backgrounds and depend on sponsorships. Burning schools only destroys opportunities and dreams,’ he said.
Similarly, Mr. Samuel Omondi, one of the class directors, said transforming dormitories into scenes of destruction and tragedy was unacceptable. ‘We are in school to learn, improve ourselves, and build our future, not to burn institutions meant to nurture us,’ he stated. Another student, Bruce Otieno, observed that students are both the perpetrators and victims of school arson. ‘It is students who burn schools, but they are also the ones who suffer when their property is destroyed. We have decided that this issue of school burning will not distract us from our education,’ said Otieno.
The demonstration comes amid growing concerns over a series of school fires reported in different parts of the country, prompting calls for enhanced dialogue, counselling, and parental involvement to address the root causes of student unrest.
