Ambira Boys High School in Siaya County has been closed indefinitely after a night of unrest that left classrooms damaged, offices vandalised and learning paralysed.
School administrators said the violence broke out late Monday after tensions escalated among students, many of whom reportedly stormed key sections of the institution and destroyed property worth millions of shillings.
Witnesses and local officials described scenes of chaos. Window panes were shattered. Dormitories and administration blocks were targeted. Computers and kitchen equipment were also damaged during the rampage, according to preliminary reports from the school management and county education officials.
The closure comes as concern grows over rising cases of student unrest in Kenyan secondary schools, with educators warning that pressure surrounding national examinations, discipline disputes and mental health challenges continue to fuel instability in some institutions.
Officials familiar with the incident said part of the anger appeared to centre around claims linked to “mwakenya” a slang term often associated with leaked examination materials. Some students allegedly protested after being informed there would be no irregular assistance ahead of national exams. Authorities have not independently confirmed those claims.
Police officers were deployed to restore calm as frightened residents living near the school gathered outside the compound overnight. No serious injuries were immediately reported, though investigations into the destruction are ongoing.
A senior education official in Siaya County said the school would remain closed until order is restored and the extent of the damage fully assessed.
“We cannot allow learning to continue under such conditions,” the official said. “The priority now is safety, accountability and ensuring calm returns before students are allowed back.”
Parents arrived at the school Tuesday morning to pick up their children following the abrupt suspension of learning. Some expressed frustration over repeated incidents of unrest in schools across the country.
“It is painful because these are facilities built to help them learn,” one parent said outside the school gates. “Destroying them only hurts the students themselves.”
The Ministry of Education has yet to issue a detailed statement on the incident, but education experts have increasingly called for stronger counselling programmes and closer engagement between schools, parents and students.
The destruction at Ambira Boys adds to a growing list of schools disrupted by unrest in recent years, reviving questions about discipline, exam pressure and the emotional wellbeing of students in boarding schools.
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