KISUMU, June 6, 2026 –Concerns over school unrest in Kenya continue to mount after two prominent national schools issued notices asking parents and guardians to pick up their children, amid heightened vigilance by school administrations.
The latest developments come as education authorities grapple with a wave of unrest that has reportedly affected more than 100 schools across the country this term, leading to strikes, fires, and disruptions to learning.
Kisumu Girls High School informed parents that students would be released on Saturday morning following what the school described as intelligence reports and heightened surveillance by the school administration, Parents Association (PA) Executive, and Board of Management (BOM).
In a message sent to parents, the school said:
“Due to intelligence and heightened surveillance by the School Administration, PA Executive and BOM, be informed that the girls will be released tomorrow morning. Kindly make arrangements to pick up your daughter from school by 8 a.m. Further communication will be made on when they will report back.”
Meanwhile, Kakamega High School also directed parents and guardians to collect their sons from the institution on Saturday morning.
In a communication signed by Chief Principal Dr. Elphas A. Luvaso, the school stated:
“Dear Parent/Guardian, you are required to pick your son from school tomorrow, 6th June 2026, from 6:00 a.m.”
Neither school publicly disclosed the specific reasons behind the decision to release students. However, the notices come against the backdrop of increasing concern over incidents of student unrest reported in several parts of the country.
Education stakeholders have expressed concern over the rising number of disturbances in learning institutions, warning that continued unrest could affect academic programmes and student welfare.
Authorities have urged school administrators, parents, and students to work together in addressing grievances through dialogue and established channels while investigations continue into recent incidents reported in schools nationwide.
The government’s response has also hardened amid the rising cases of unrest. Speaking on Friday, Education Principal Secretary Ambassador Julius Bitok issued a stern warning to students involved in acts of arson, vandalism, and other forms of indiscipline, saying those found culpable would face the full force of the law. The PS emphasized that authorities would not spare individuals responsible for destroying school property or disrupting learning, adding that investigations into recent incidents were ongoing.