Discipline lessons for learners in Kenyan schools

By  Liankor Jairus

Public Relations Associate Consultant

P&L Consulting Group

Every time reports of school unrest dominate the headlines, public debate follows a familiar script. We condemn the destruction, demand tougher punishment for those responsible and call for the swift restoration of order.

Then, once the flames are extinguished and damaged dormitories rebuilt, the conversation fades until the next incident. Lost in this recurring cycle is a more important question: why does a problem we have confronted for decades continue to define Kenya's education system?

The latest figures presented by the Ministry of Education suggest that the country has experienced a worrying wave of school unrest since April this year. According to the Ministry's recent briefing, more than 100 actual fire incidents have been recorded alongside numerous cases of attempted or threatened arson, student agitation and precautionary school closures.

The same briefing indicates that 18 learners lost their lives during the period, while hundreds more have faced criminal charges linked to unrest. Although investigations into some incidents are ongoing, the available data points to a challenge that extends far beyond isolated acts of indiscipline.

The immediate impact of every school fire is easy to see. Dormitories, classrooms, laboratories, libraries and administration blocks are destroyed, forcing schools to divert scarce resources towards reconstruction. Learning materials, beds, computers and laboratory equipment must be replaced, while emergency services, police investigations and insurance claims further increase the financial burden. Every shilling spent rebuilding damaged infrastructure is money that could have been invested in improving the quality of education or expanding learning opportunities for future generations.

Physical destruction

Yet the hidden cost is even greater than the physical destruction. School closures interrupt learning, delay syllabus coverage and place enormous pressure on teachers and candidates preparing for national examinations. Learners are displaced, parents face uncertainty and school communities are left dealing with psychological trauma long after the fires have been extinguished. These losses cannot easily be quantified, but they ultimately shape educational outcomes just as much as damaged buildings do.

Kenya's response has remained largely consistent over the years. Authorities investigate incidents, prosecute those responsible and strengthen security measures within schools. These actions are necessary because acts of arson and violence cannot be tolerated in any learning institution. However, the recurrence of unrest suggests that responding after destruction has occurred is proving far easier than preventing the conditions that give rise to it.

This is where Kenya can learn from education systems that have invested heavily in prevention without compromising discipline. In Finland, student participation is built into school governance through active student councils that provide learners with meaningful opportunities to contribute to decisions affecting school life. The approach does not eliminate conflict altogether, but it creates structured channels through which concerns can be raised before frustration escalates into destructive behaviour.

Singapore offers a different but equally valuable lesson. While discipline remains firm and expectations are high, schools also invest significantly in counselling, learner welfare and early intervention programmes. Behavioural problems are addressed before they become crises, recognising that discipline is most effective when accompanied by guidance and support. The objective is not merely to punish misconduct but to understand and correct the factors contributing to it.

Lessons can also be found much closer to home. Rwanda has strengthened school leadership and community participation as part of broader education reforms, recognising that parents, teachers and learners all contribute to a positive school culture. Botswana continues to prioritise guidance and counselling services within secondary schools, while many schools in South Africa have increasingly embraced restorative practices that encourage dialogue, accountability and reconciliation after conflict.

School leadership

Kenya does not need to replicate these systems wholesale because every education system reflects its own social and cultural realities. However, the underlying principle remains relevant: preventing unrest requires sustained investment in student wellbeing, school leadership, effective communication and mechanisms through which grievances can be addressed before they escalate. Strong discipline and meaningful learner engagement should not be viewed as competing priorities but as complementary pillars of a safe and productive learning environment.

The conversation about school unrest must therefore move beyond counting burnt dormitories and arrested learners. We should also be asking how many learning hours have been lost, how much public money has been diverted towards reconstruction and how many opportunities to identify early warning signs have been missed.

Ultimately, the greatest loss arising from school unrest is not measured by the number of buildings destroyed but by the erosion of trust within our schools. Every fire weakens confidence among parents, teachers and learners while consuming resources that should be advancing educational excellence. Kenya will continue rebuilding classrooms whenever tragedy strikes, but our greater responsibility is to build schools where dialogue is stronger than anger, prevention is valued as much as punishment and every learner feels that their voice can be heard without a matchstick being struck.

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Liankor Jairus is an Associate Consultant at P&L Consulting Group, [email protected]