Education Principal Secretary John Ololtuaa has disclosed that 462 learners were arrested and arraigned in court by June 2026 due to involvement in school unrest during the second term. The unrest impacted 359 schools nationwide, with Nyanza region recording the highest number of incidents at 121, followed by Eastern with 117, and Rift Valley with 90 cases.

Speaking before the National Assembly education committee on August 4, 2026, Ololtuaa detailed that the arrests resulted from investigations carried out jointly with the National Police Service and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.

Nature of Offences and Notable Incidents

The unrest involved serious offences such as arson, attempted arson, threats, possession of illicit materials, planning and incitement, and vandalism. Among the incidents was the tragic fire at Utumishi Girls' Academy on May 28, 2026, which claimed 16 lives and injured 79 students. Nine learners were arrested in connection to the fire; eight were charged with murder and pleaded not guilty, while one was released due to insufficient evidence.

Government Measures to Curb Unrest

Ololtuaa outlined several steps taken to reduce unrest and enhance safety in schools:

  • Increased intelligence gathering and deployment of security personnel to high-risk institutions.
  • Strengthened collaboration between school administrations, boards of management, and security agencies.
  • Expanded guidance, counselling, and psychosocial support through partnerships with organizations such as Kenya Red Cross and government departments.
  • Engagement of parents, religious leaders, local administrators, and community leaders to promote discipline and safety.
  • Improved student grievance management and conflict resolution via student councils, prefects, clubs, and dialogue forums.
  • Monitoring of schools to prevent copycat unrest behaviour.
  • Enhanced response mechanisms through county education officers and security agencies.
  • Ongoing sensitization of learners on safety, discipline, and lawful conduct.

These interventions have contributed to a noticeable decline in unrest incidents after mid-June 2026.

Future Plans

The Ministry of Education is also focusing on strengthening school safety preparedness by improving fire prevention and response systems and conducting fire safety audits in boarding schools to prevent future tragedies.