Kisumu Girls' shut after students riot

Stranded students from Kisumu Girls outside their administration block on July 01, 2018 after the school was closed indefinitely following night long unrest by students. [Denish Ochieng/Standard]

Kisumu Girls’ National School has been closed indefinitely after students went on the rampage over claims of faith discrimination by the school management.

On Sunday night students boycotted evening classes and went on a destruction spree, demanding transfer of the school principal.

Some students told The Standard tension began last month after a section of students was allegedly denied permission to attend prayers outside the school to mark end of a holy month of Ramadhan.

The students said they were also angered by the introduction of a raft of regulations, which they termed dictatorial.

They said the Saturday entertainment had been scrapped and corporal punishment introduced. They also claimed break time tea had been scrapped.

The police were called in at 8pm on Sunday to restore calm and rescued the principal who was under siege.

Yesterday, County Director of Education Sabina Aroni ordered the students to go home for an unspecified period.

“The students have indicated a number of grievances which we need time to investigate,” said Aroni.

Gerald Onyango, a member of the Board of Management, said they would interrogate teachers, students and other subordinate staff to get the root cause of the problem.

The principal was not available for comment, as she did not answer phone calls.