Kericho County is facing rise in student unrest, with violent strikes and school fires prompting political leaders to call for a return to harsher disciplinary measures. Senator Aaron Cheruiyot and Belgut MP Nelson Koech are leading the charge, proposing a mix of corporal punishment, criminal prosecution, and transfers to approved schools for students involved in destructive acts.
The debate was reignited after a string of high-profile incidents rocked local institutions. On September 21, Litein Boys High School went up in flames after the administration reportedly denied students the chance to watch an English Premier League clash between Arsenal and Manchester City. What began as a protest quickly spiraled into chaos, leaving classrooms and dormitories in smoke and property worth millions destroyed.
Just two days later, on September 23, a dormitory at Tengecha Boys High School in Kapkatet was torched in what is believed to have been an arson attack. The fire gutted much of the building, which housed over 100 students. Earlier, on September 11, Cheptenye Boys High School had also suffered a similar fate when two dormitories were set ablaze during afternoon lessons. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in all three incidents.
Shocking images and videos shared online showed charred walls, collapsed roofs, and frightened students watching helplessly as their schools burned. The destruction has fueled anger among leaders who believe the current legal framework is too lenient to deter such behavior.
“Any student who burns a school should not be treated as a student, they should be treated as a criminal,” Koech declared. “That student should be put in jail and transferred to an approved school. We cannot continue pampering indiscipline.”
Senator Cheruiyot backed the call, questioning the ban on corporal punishment. “This policy of banning corporal punishment in schools, where did it come from? I read the Bible and there is a verse that says spare the rod and spoil the child,” he remarked.
The lawmakers argue that without tough action, cases of arson, strikes, and destruction of property will only escalate. However, their proposals have sparked a heated debate across the country. Supporters see firm punishment as the only way to restore order, while critics warn that caning and jailing students could violate children’s rights and worsen tensions in schools.
Education experts caution that while accountability is necessary, long-term solutions should also focus on addressing underlying causes of unrest – ranging from poor communication between administrators and students to inadequate mental health support and extracurricular engagement.
