Jera Mixed Secondary School in Siaya County has been indefinitely closed following widespread unrest and demonstrations by students protesting severe food shortages and alleged mismanagement by the principal.
The closure, effective Friday, July 18, comes after students took to the streets, accusing the head teacher of perennial absenteeism and mismanaging school funds, leading to a acute lack of provisions.
The immediate trigger for the protests was a extreme reduction in student meals. On Thursday night, students reported being served only “ugali and soup,” followed by “boiled water without sugar” instead of their usual porridge for breakfast.
One of the student lamented, “The store is empty; we cannot continue living like this. Why is there no food yet we paid school fees just last week?”. Beyond the food crisis, students also raised concerns about deteriorating dormitory conditions and a persistent water shortage, issues they claim the principal has consistently ignored.
The Ministry of Education, represented by Ugenya Sub-County TSC Director Bernard Orwasa, intervened, instructing students to return home while promising to address their grievances. However, students preparing for the KCSE examinations were permitted to remain at the school to continue with mock exams and general preparations.
This incident highlights key challenges in school administration, particularly given the recent disbursement of Ksh22 billion (approximately $167 million USD as of 2025-07-19) in capitation funds for Term 2 to public basic education institutions across Kenya.
The situation in Siaya, a region with a rich historical and anthropological landscape, underlines the real-world impact of alleged financial mismanagement on student welfare and educational continuity.
