Kisumu girls school closed indefinitely over student unrest

Kisumu, 

Sunday, 17th September, 2023 

McCreadie Andias 

Kisumu girls National school in Kisumu has been closed indefinitely on Sunday Morning following student unrest. 

Confirming the incident Nyanza Regional Education Director Nelson Sifuna says students started showing unrest since Friday in what escalated towards the weekend forcing abrupt closure. 

Sifuna revealed that the students in the institution have been complaining about the inhabitable environment at the school with high tense on Sunday following an electricity blackout. Students also complained on corporate punishment. 

"From Friday there have been issues in this school. A number of girls were making noise and refusing to participate in school activities. Gradually it generated to shouting at any person trying to address them,” Sifuna says.

“The situation worsened yesterday when officers from the National Government Administration and Ministry of Education tried to address them at the Dining Hall but they were very angry. When I was called, I rushed to the school and addressed them but they refused to openly give grievances they have. We gave them papers to write their grievances,” 

"This morning they woke up with more agitation. First, they went to the Dining Hall and wanted to play all types of music. There was a blackout and they started shouting and throwing papers. The Board had a meeting, resolved that to restore order the school closes as they look into their grievances,”

Sifuna says the unrest lost control after officials from the Ministry visited the school and tried to talk to the students over the matter with the students failing to listen in and started shouting. 

The officials hence resolved by urging the students to write their grievances over pieces if papers and hand them over. 

photos circulating online, showed the school girls carrying their backpacks heading home with some boarding boda bodas at the school gate while others were being picked with adults believed to be their parents. 

Reports show that Ministry of Education officials are currently in a closed-door meeting with the administration.

The school's administration and the Ministry of Education is yet to give an official communication with Investigations still ongoing to look into the allegations raised by the students. 

The matter is expected to be resolved soon to allow students especially candidates who will be sitting for their National exams to resume their studies with the Ministry of Education having announced the official closing dates on 27th October to pave way for the KCSE examinations.