A dormitory has been burned at Keringet Boys Secondary School in Kuresoi Nakuru County on Friday morning raising fears that the wave of fires that rocked secondary schools around the country last term are back.
The school was closed indefinitely in late July this year after petrol in jerry cans were found three times in one of the dormitories in a span of one month from June necessitating the school principal Mr. Pius Lukulu to declare the school closed three weeks to closing time for the second term holidays.
Mr. Pius Lukulu while announcing the closure to the students at the school in morning assembly had said the decision was informed by a spate of strikes that has affected the school in the last one month starting from 26th June 2016, when the students went on strike over the change of entertainment time on Saturdays, from 6-10pm to 12 -6pm which meant they would not watch 7 pm news.
Five liters of petrol was discovered by students in one of the dormitories at the school on Tuesday the 26th July 2016 evening, and reported to teachers on duty sparking the action by the principal.
Mr. Lukulu in a letter written on the 27th July 2016 said that the school has closed indefinitely due to a spate of strikes.
“This decision is in line with the basic education regulations 2015 legal notice 39 section 38(b) which states that if an act of indiscipline is likely to threaten the safety of the learners in the institution, the head of institution shall issue the learners with suspension.” The letter read in part hence the decision to close the school indefinitely.
The principal had hinted that the school could be reopened in September after consultations with the school’s Board of Management and other stakeholders but told the students that on readmission all school fee arrears must be paid as a condition for students to get back to school.
In the month of June and July this year the school had three more arson attempts which had students sent home three times and the school closed.
“We only came back last Wednesday and we are now going back home again.” One student revealed.
The culprits taking petrol to the school on those four occasions were never identified and police from Keringet Police station were said to be still looking for clues to those behind it when the school was closed in late July for another attempt by unknown suspects to burn the school.
When the school was closed indefinitely the principal had asked the students what could be the problem, and they implicated the teachers for incitement, a claim the teachers denied saying they were fearful of school administration and could not air their grievances freely.
The principal too said that there were forces out to discredit him and see him out of the institution.
After the latest incident on Friday that led to destruction of property of unknown value in the dormitory, the principal could not be reached for comment.
