Students flee Baringo school citing virus fears

Form Four students of Kiptoim Secondary School in Mogotio, Baringo County Sunday walked out of the institution for fear of contracting Covid-19.

Lembus Kiptoim Location Chief Bundotich Kiprono said the students protested in the evening before boarding vehicles to their homes.

Only four students in the class of 50 remained back.

"We received the news that the students went on strike and went there to check [for possible] damage," he said, noting that both the police and parents were alerted of the incident.

"Investigations are underway to establish why the students fled the school. We met teachers who said some students had complained of chest pains and out of fear and thought they had contracted Covid-19 but this was not an emergency to make them run," he added. 

The School Principal Mr Ezron Wainaina said trouble started after the students had their lunch on Sunday. He held that they stormed out of school "for unclear reasons".

"For now I only have four students at the school; three boys and one girl. The rest walked out of school without a clear explanation," Mr Wainaina said.

"When we resumed studies, 33 boys and 17 girls reported to the school," the principal said, revealing that four had come back after the break occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic.

The principal is said to have held a meeting with the students on Saturday but they failed to establish what was bothering them.

He refuted the claim that the students may have sneaked out of school after some developed chest pain and headaches.

Mogotio DEO Robert Nyaberi said the principal is getting in touch with the parents and respective chiefs to have the students back to school. 

"Fleeing was not the option. We would have called public health officials to have the students tested," he said.

Mr Nyaberi urged the students to remain in school as they are safer there.