The entire Form Four Class of 258 students at Makueni Boys High school has been suspended after refusing to shave their beards.
The students went on a riot on Friday evening, February 19, after an order was issued that they had to trim their beards and shave their heads every month. The school principal was stoned during the night incident.
The principal, Raphael Katana reported that the students were growing full beards and keeping a head full of hair which was against school policy. The monthly shave has been done since the school was started in 1966.
The Form 4 students became unruly after the management authorized a mandatory shave.
“We shave our students every month, all the students in other classes got their haircuts, but the Form Fours refused, as per the Ministry of Education guidelines, we sent all of them home because they became rowdy, “ said Katana
Katana was rushed to Makueni hospital where he was treated and discharged today morning, February 20.
Makueni County Police Commander Joseph Ole Napeiyan confirmed that police arrived and restored peace in the school and all the students went uninjured.
The school’s Board has this morning met with the County Education directors to deliberate on whether operations would continue or it would be shut indefinitely.
The incident adds to a long list of alarming indiscipline among students since schools were reopened in January 2021.
