Tension at Kitui School eased today after students were released to go home, following a direct appeal to the principal to allow early closure rather than engage in a strike.
According to learners who spoke to the administration, the decision to request leave instead of protesting was deliberate. They said they did not want to cause damage to school property or disrupt learning any further.
The unrest, students claim, has been building over weeks due to the deputy principal’s management style. Learners allege that he has been excessively strict, frequently administering caning and treating students harshly. They argue that the approach has created fear rather than discipline, and has contributed to growing dissatisfaction within the student body.
“Students felt that instead of destroying property or walking out without permission, it was better to ask to go home peacefully and make their concerns known,” one student said.
By choosing dialogue over destruction, the learners say they hoped to protect school facilities while still drawing attention to their grievances about discipline and treatment.
The move appears to have averted what could have escalated into a full-blown strike, a scenario that has disrupted learning in several schools across the country in recent months.
The school administration has not yet issued an official statement on the matter, including whether there will be investigations into the students’ complaints against the deputy principal.
Parents and education stakeholders are now watching closely to see how the school handles the underlying issues, with calls for a balanced approach to discipline that maintains order without alienating students.
Learning at Kitui School remains suspended for now as students head home, with the reopening date expected to be communicated by the administration in due course.
