The government has unveiled a new training programme aimed at equipping teachers and school principals with practical skills to prevent school unrest and promote safer learning environments.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba announced the initiative during the closing ceremony of the 49th Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA) Annual National Conference in Mombasa, saying the programme forms part of wider reforms to address the increasing cases of student unrest witnessed across the country.
According to the CS, the Open University of Kenya has developed a self-paced online course focusing on school stability and learner welfare, allowing teachers and principals to undertake the training without disrupting normal learning activities.
"The Open University of Kenya has developed a self-paced course on school stability and learner welfare for teachers and principals. This course is designed to build institutional capacity for promoting safe, stable and learner-centred school environments through early risk identification and building positive school cultures," Ogamba said.
The announcement follows a series of school unrest incidents that have disrupted learning in several institutions, including the tragic fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil that claimed the lives of 16 students.
Government Forms Task Force on School Unrest
Besides introducing the new course, Ogamba announced the formation of a multi-agency task force to investigate the root causes of school unrest and recommend long-term solutions.
The team will examine factors contributing to student indiscipline and propose strategies to institutionalise dialogue, peaceful coexistence and effective conflict resolution in schools.
The CS urged school heads to prioritise learner welfare alongside academic excellence, noting that both are essential for creating conducive learning environments.
He further directed schools to strengthen co-curricular activities, including sports, music, drama and clubs, saying they play a critical role in nurturing leadership, resilience, teamwork and emotional well-being.
Schools Urged to Strengthen Counselling Services
Ogamba also challenged schools to enhance guidance and counselling programmes to help learners cope with mental health challenges, peer pressure, substance abuse and the influence of social media.
While advocating stronger student support systems, he maintained that discipline should remain firm, fair and consistent with the law.
"As a government, we will support our teachers in enforcing firm and fair disciplinary measures in schools in accordance with the law," he said.
The CS also highlighted recent government investments in education, including the recruitment of 100,000 teachers since 2023, construction of 23,000 classrooms, funding for 1,600 science laboratories and a record Ksh784.5 billion allocation to the education sector for the 2026/27 financial year.
