Tambach Boys High School has been closed indefinitely after students staged a surprise early morning protest on Monday, marching nearly 10 kilometers to Iten town in Elgeyo Marakwet County.
The school’s principal, Mr. Michael Cheruiyot, confirmed the closure and said the Board of Management had convened a crisis meeting to assess the situation and determine the way forward. According to Mr. Cheruiyot, minimal damage was reported during the incident.
The protest began at around 3:00 a.m., with students leaving the school compound in what appeared to be a well-coordinated march. Eyewitnesses described the learners as visibly agitated but largely peaceful, as they trekked to the Iten Central Business District.
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Images and videos circulating online, some shared by Fmfixhub.co.ke, showed groups of students walking through the streets of Iten. No major rampage or confrontation was reported during the standoff, although the protest caught the attention of local residents, education officials, and police.
The cause of the protest remains unclear, but the incident adds to a growing wave of student unrest that has recently gripped several learning institutions across the country.
This marks the second school closure in Elgeyo Marakwet within a week. On Wednesday, St. Patrick’s Iten High School was also shut down indefinitely after students staged a violent protest reportedly sparked by opposition to sitting their end-of-term examinations.
Property was damaged in the incident, and students were sent home to prevent further escalation.
Keiyo North Sub-County Director of Education, Ms. Alice Sitienei, confirmed the St. Patrick’s Iten incident, stating that the situation became untenable after learners went on a rampage.
There were also unverified claims by students and stakeholders alleging poor academic performance and lack of administrative accountability at the institution.
Elsewhere, unrest was reported at Kaplong Girls High School in Bomet County on Sunday, where students staged a protest over alleged inappropriate behavior by a male teacher.
The administration ordered an indefinite closure of the school following the disruption of normal learning activities.
These successive incidents have raised nationwide concerns over the mental well-being, discipline, and general welfare of students in Kenyan schools.
Education stakeholders are now calling for urgent intervention and dialogue to address underlying issues before the unrest spirals further.