Nakuru Girls’ Secondary School has been closed indefinitely after students went on strike earlier today, upset over the upcoming end-of-term exams.
The protest, which took place on Wednesday morning, saw some students destroy school property before the administration decided to send everyone home. The parents were asked to take their daughters home immediately.
Sources at the school say the students had requested a postponement of the exams to another time, saying they were not ready. When their grievances fell on deaf ears, frustration burst out.
One of the teachers, who wished to remain anonymous, added that the atmosphere was peaceful and calm, but the students were under a lot of pressure.
“This was not about exams. These girls are overwhelmed. Some of them just snapped,” the teacher said.The principal affirmed that no one was hurt in the commotion and attributed the incident to anxiety, rather than disobedience.
One of the parents who rushed to the school to take her kid immediately after the school was shut down reported that she was surprised by the news.
“My daughter called just now and told me to come pick her up. I thought maybe someone got sick, but when I got here, they said school is closed,” she said.Nakuru Girls now joins a growing list of schools that have shut down in recent weeks due to student unrest. Just a few days ago, Kaplong Girls in Bomet was also closed, with reports suggesting students were unhappy over alleged misconduct by some teachers.
With national exams drawing near, pressure is growing and schools are being asked to take a closer look at how exam stress is affecting students.
