Kericho Tea High School has been closed indefinitely following a strike conducted by students on Monday, January 29.
David Kipsang, the principal, stated that the rest began at 9:30 am, with students hurling stones at window panes and other property.
Local authorities were forced to intervene to quell the riot before it became full-blown. However, no arrests were made.
Police and education stakeholders also advised the principal to temporarily shut down the school, which immediately embarked on an exercise to ascertain the extent of the damage caused.
"They (students) were insisting that they wanted to go home. So we have released Form Twos, Threes and Fours until a time the board will sit and decide when and how they will be coming back" the school principal, David Kipsang stated adding that the Form One students were left behind to continue with their studies.
According to sources privy to the protest, the students demonstrated against corporal punishment, insufficient diet and alleged discrimination in extracurricular activities.
Meanwhile, the school administration launched investigations and will issue a preliminary report in the coming days, detailing the main cause of the unrest among the students.
"Investigations are still going on. Our quality assurance and standard team are carrying out the investigations and in due course, they are going to give us the full report," Kipsang added.
However, once they resume, the students will also aid in investigations, with teachers planning to encourage them to share the issues affecting them.
On January 19, Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu issued a stern warning to parents and students over the destruction of property during protests at schools.
Machogu who was overseeing the Elimu Scholarship drive at the Bomas of Kenya, was alarmed by the recent surge in strikes where parents and students stormed schools over poor results.
"While the invasion of teachers and attacks on schools is unfortunate, and we cannot be able to allow that to continue, we have to adopt careful and consolidation means of ensuring we do not deprive young innocent children of the right of education," Machogu stated.
