Several students from Samoei Boys High School spent Wednesday night in police custody after they were arrested for allegedly causing chaos and attempting to burn parts of their school. The incident created tension in the area as officers moved in quickly to stop the situation from getting out of control.
According to people who witnessed the events, the unrest started at around 8pm when a group of Form Four candidates reportedly tried to set some school buildings on fire.
The students are said to have been frustrated during the ongoing Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams.
Sources revealed that the protests were triggered by claims that the candidates had been denied access to leaked exam materials.
They allegedly felt that the tight security measures put in place to prevent cheating were too strict, leading to growing anger among some of them.
Residents living close to the school said they heard loud screams coming from inside the compound as the students ran around, threatening to destroy property and burn structures. Police officers, who were already on high alert due to ongoing exams, responded swiftly.
They used tear gas to disperse the rioting students, with locals saying the sound of exploding tear gas canisters could be heard clearly in the neighbourhood.
Although the situation was tense, no injuries were reported. Officers from Nandi Police Station managed to calm the situation and later arrested several students believed to have taken part in the chaos.
The incident happened as KCSE examinations continue across the country. The national tests are expected to end this Friday, and education officials have urged parents, teachers, and students to remain calm as investigations into the incident begin.
This comes only a week after Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba issued a strong warning against exam cheating. He stressed that severe action would be taken against anyone involved in malpractice.
Speaking to journalists on November 13, the CS revealed that 78 people—including individuals who are not students—had already been arrested for participating in cheating activities. Ogamba added that teachers and exam officials found helping learners cheat could lose their jobs and even face criminal charges.
“We have identified several cases where people are misusing social media to leak exam papers. Our security teams have acted quickly and arrested 78 suspects so far,” Ogamba stated.
He further explained that security officers are using evidence-based investigations to track more suspects, promising that those involved in exam fraud or impersonation will face the full force of the law.
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