(NAIROBI, KENYA) – Students across Kenya are returning to classrooms this week, but for many the resumption of learning comes with a direct financial cost. At several schools affected by a recent wave of unrest, parents are being asked to pay for damage caused by their children before lessons can begin again. The situation has sparked a wider debate about who should bear the burden of destruction, how deep the problem goes, and what it says about the state of Kenya’s education system.
At Mang’u High School in Kiambu and Chasimba Secondary School in Kilifi, each student is being charged Sh1,000 to help cover the cost of repairs. At the current exchange rate of approximately 150 Kenyan Shillings to one US dollar in June 2026, this amounts to about US$6.70 per learner. At Moi Girls Lanet and Kakamega Boys, pupils must clear any outstanding fee balances before they are readmitted. At Ambira High School in Siaya County, the situation is far more serious. The school sought to charge parents Sh33,000 per student, roughly US$220, to repair damage estimated at Sh50 million, or about US$333,000. Parents challenged the decision in the High Court.
The financial demands come after a period of significant disruption. Education Cabinet Secretary Migos Ogamba told the press last week that 204 schools had been affected by unrest, which represents about two percent of all schools nationwide. He added that at least 59 institutions had already resumed learning as authorities worked to restore order and protect the academic calendar.
Behind the numbers lie stories of frustration, fear and complaints that went unheard. At Agoro Sare High School, Principal Isack Okeyo said some students linked to a recent arson incident admitted they were influenced by unrest in other schools. His remarks point to growing concern among education stakeholders that a copycat culture is spreading, driven by social media, mobile phones and constant news coverage of disturbances.
The debate over who pays for the destruction has become a legal matter. At Ambira High School, parents through their lawyer John Kihara accused the school administration of negligence. They argued that the unrest was not simple indiscipline but an eruption of long ignored grievances. A legal letter filed in the case alleged that the school captain, members of the prefect council and some older students had been forcefully sodomising younger and more vulnerable boys, including Grade 10 learners. The parents maintained that the school failed to act on these complaints before the violence broke out.
That view aligns with findings by security and governance expert Major (Retired) Dr Mohamed Morowa, who describes school unrest as a problem with many heads, rarely driven by a single cause. He says it often stems from a mix of academic pressure, poor communication, harsh discipline, poor living conditions, family challenges, substance abuse, peer influence and weak counselling systems. When the school environment becomes stressful or unsatisfactory, he argues, students may turn to destructive actions as a way of expressing their frustrations.
At Kakamega High School, one student said tensions had been building for more than a week before a dormitory fire forced the school to close. The trigger was not a single event but accumulated frustration. Students had repeatedly complained that food portions were too small, but the administration did not respond. The student added that information now spreads quickly among learners through television during entertainment sessions and through phones.
At Our Lady of Mercy Secondary School in Nairobi’s Shauri Moyo area, a parent said the latest disturbance on May 24 nearly turned into tragedy. Students allegedly poured fuel into a dormitory but could not find a matchstick. A Form Three student accused the principal of failing to listen to learners and relying only on prefects to handle problems. The student said meals were monotonous, with githeri served almost five days a week, and that bread was sometimes mouldy.
Such complaints may seem routine. But experts warn that when concerns about food, accommodation, discipline or welfare are repeatedly ignored, frustration builds until students resort to destructive means to force administrators to pay attention.
At Moi Girls High School in Lanet, one parent said he was told he had arrears of Sh19,000, roughly US$127, that had to be cleared before his daughter could return. The school also narrowly avoided an arson attack after paraffin was discovered before it could be used.
Psychologist Jared Omache says the current wave of unrest cannot be understood without looking at the realities facing modern teenagers. He argues that while student grievances are not new, today’s learners are growing up in a rapidly changing environment. Adolescents often lack the emotional tools adults use to manage pressure. He describes a generation of risk takers whose rebellion starts from within as a behaviour change, a demonstration waiting for a moment to show itself physically.
A teacher at Upperhill School, who spoke in confidence, believes many problems start outside the school gates. She pointed to family instability, absent parents and weakening support systems as key drivers of student distress. Many children come from homes where nobody has time to listen, she said, and they use rebellion to seek attention. She added that teachers are increasingly expected to handle emotional and social challenges they were never trained to address.
Boaz Waruku, Policy and Strategy Advisor at Elimu Bora Working Group, said understanding the causes of unrest should never be mistaken for justifying it. While many students feel ignored, arson and destruction can never be an acceptable form of protest. He noted that many schools are struggling to provide basic needs due to financial pressures, with meals, water, accommodation and sanitation becoming points of tension. But once lives are lost and property is destroyed, sympathy quickly disappears.
Former Basic Education Principal Secretary Prof Julius Bitok has linked part of the unrest to examination pressure and rising anxiety among learners. He suggested that in some cases, schools could consider postponing examinations rather than forcing students to sit them under extreme stress.
Immediate attention will focus on rebuilding dormitories, replacing broken windows and recovering lost learning time ss schools reopen. Dr Morowa called for stronger guidance and counselling programmes, better communication channels, greater student participation in decision making, and closer cooperation between schools, parents and communities. He said school unrest should be seen not just as a disciplinary problem but as a sign of deeper challenges within the education system that require shared responsibility to fix.