Jera Mixed Secondary School in Siaya County has been closed indefinitely following unrest triggered by an ongoing food shortage that sparked student protests on Friday, July 18.
The learners, who were visibly frustrated, took to the streets in a peaceful demonstration, voicing their grievances against the school principal.
They accused him of mismanaging the institution, claiming that despite paying school fees recently, they were being subjected to poor living conditions—especially the lack of proper meals.
According to several students, they were only served plain ugali and watery soup for dinner on Thursday night. By morning, instead of their usual porridge, they were offered nothing but unsweetened boiled water.
“We’ve looked everywhere around the school, and it’s clear there’s no food. The store is empty,” lamented one student. “We just paid school fees last week. Why should we be going hungry?”
Students also raised concerns about the principal’s regular absenteeism, alleging that he rarely shows up to address their issues and often provides false reassurances during school assemblies. Many called for his immediate removal, insisting that he was no longer fit to lead the school.
“He lies to us all the time during parade. He doesn’t listen or care. All we want is for him to leave,” one of the protesting students said.
Beyond the food shortage, students also reported other serious issues affecting their daily lives. They highlighted the poor condition of their dormitories—some of which are allegedly in disrepair—as well as a shortage of clean water.
Despite raising these concerns multiple times, students say the administration has shown no willingness to act. They feel their cries have gone ignored for far too long.
In response to the escalating situation, Ugenya Sub-County TSC Director Bernard Orwasa visited the school on behalf of the Ministry of Education. After assessing the situation, he advised the school to shut down operations and instructed students to return home.
He encouraged them to remain patient while investigations and solutions were being put in place to address their concerns.
However, candidates preparing for the national Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams were allowed to remain in school to continue with their mock exams and final exam preparations.
While the school administration is under fire for allegedly mishandling funds, some teachers and local community leaders urged students not to let emotions take over and encouraged them to maintain peace.
This incident comes just days after the government announced the release of Ksh22 billion in capitation funds for Term 2 to support public schools across the country.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba confirmed that Ksh22,028,911,191.40 had been distributed to various levels of basic education, raising questions about why some schools like Jera Mixed Secondary are still grappling with such severe shortages.
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