- Kericho Tea Boys High School has closed and has sent all students home following overnight unrest on September 20, 2026
Kericho Tea Boys High School has been shut following overnight unrest, with all students sent home on Monday morning as education officials intervened and parents were left waiting for a new reporting date.
The unrest occurred on the night of Sunday, September 20, 2026, prompting the school to release students at about 10:00 a.m. on Monday, September 21, following intervention by the Sub-County Director of Education.
In a notice to parents and guardians, the school confirmed the closure, saying it followed the unrest reported the previous night. The administration did not disclose what triggered the disturbance or whether there were injuries, property damage or arrests. The school has also not announced when learning will resume, saying the reporting date and time will be communicated later.
The abrupt closure has forced parents to make arrangements for their children at short notice while the school and education authorities assess the situation. The administration apologised for the inconvenience and appealed for understanding as arrangements for reopening are made.
The latest incident recalls a major episode of unrest at Kericho Tea Boys in January 2024, when Form Two, Three and Four students were sent home after protests over several grievances.
At the time, school officials said students became uncontrollable and began throwing stones at about 9:30 p.m., forcing security personnel to intervene. The students reportedly refused to return to class and demanded to go home, prompting the school to release them pending a decision by the board.
Among the grievances cited by students were alleged corporal punishment, insufficient diet and discrimination in extracurricular activities. School officials subsequently said investigations had been launched, with the quality assurance and standards team tasked with examining the complaints and preparing a report. Students were also expected to provide information that could help establish what had contributed to the 2024 unrest.
Cause of Latest Unrest Unknown
Despite the similarities between the two incidents, there is no official indication that the grievances raised in 2024 caused the latest disturbance. The September 2026 notice does not identify the issues behind Sunday's unrest, leaving the circumstances surrounding the incident unclear.
The immediate focus is now on establishing what happened, safeguarding students and staff, and determining the conditions necessary for learning to resume. For parents, the absence of a reopening date means they must wait for official communication before making arrangements to return their children to school.
The sudden closure also disrupts lessons, school programmes and other academic activities, while requiring coordination between the school, parents and education officials.
As the Kericho Tea Boys community awaits further communication, attention will centre on the findings of any assessment into Sunday's incident and the measures put in place before students return. For now, the school remains closed, with the next reporting date and time to be communicated by the administration.
By Phillip Koech
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