- At least 70 Kenyan students face arson charges and fueling unrest at boarding schools across the country, following riots over the weekend which led to a death of a student after setting a dormitory ablaze.
Although it is not clear as to what caused students to riot over the weekend, it is alleged that students were retaliating against schools’ incompetent administration, misuse of funds and resources and poor supervision.
Reports indicate that over 200 students have been arrested following the unrest, which forced the country's education minister to set up a committee to probe causes of the strikes which destroyed property worth millions.
Kenya has seen a number of riots over the past month which affected over 300 schools, and the latest was on Sunday, with students from Mbuguti Secondary School in Thika burning nine buildings in their school while others in Kilifi torched a dormitory.
Education Minister Mr Sam Ongeri has warned that full force of the law will be used against students who incite their colleagues to rebel against schools administration.
Mr Ongeri is to issue a statement in parliament on the crisis that has forced about 200 schools to be closed within the last three months.
Internal Security minister Mr George Saitoti attributed strikes to drug abuse among students, urging authorities to help check the trend as police investigate the matter further.
Kenyan authorities have prepared reports with recommendations which are to date not implemented to curb riots in schools, with Minister Saitoti saying though reports are not in public domain, it would be wrong to accuse the government of laxity in implementing the recommendations.
Although Kenyan government banned corporal punishment in all learning institutions seven years ago, parents, teachers and other politicians are calling for its reinstatement to enforce law and order in schools.
"With school property being destroyed and even lives being lost government must now act tough on discipline in schools," Tourism Minister Mr Najib Balala said in reaction to the strikes.
Some teachers blamed ongoing unrest on tensions among students who were preparing to start mock examinations this week.
Meanwhile Minister Ongeri constituted a committee comprising provincial and district Education officials to unravel the recent unrest in schools.
Kenya introduced a free secondary schooling education programme with a target of raising student enrolment to 1.4 million by end of the year after having been alarmed by high number of primary leaving students following introduction of universal free primary education in 2002.
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.