Arson in Kenyan Schools

This summer, students have set fire to more than 100 Kenyan boarding school dormitories. The students cite grievances such as shortening the one-month August break to two weeks, small food portions and restricted television time. A few teachers have also been implicated with inciting unrest and participating in the vandalism. While authorities have arrested dozens who face punishment, financially struggling parents are going to pay the highest price for the destruction as school fees escalate to defray the cost of rebuilding.Multiple causes are blamed for the unrest – student grievances, clan politics, and poor school management. Many believe the basis for the attacks is retribution for government measures to stop cheating on national exams. The scores on these end-of-year exams serve as the gateway for students to advance to high school and college; also, the higher the score, the more prestigious the school.Recently, during an address to the nation, the President of Kenya spoke about the rampant cheating on exams and entreated parents not to put excessive pressure on their children’s scholastic performance. However, poor Kenyan parents are all too aware that their child’s way out of poverty, and perhaps their own escape, is through their child’s education and future well-paying job.The eduKenya and Mawewa School staffs are cognizant that national unrest, even among students, can be contagious. Our primary defenses to combat infectious discontent are Christian education and worship, exemplary teachers, and personal encouragement of our students from an early age. In addition, we are dedicated to seeing that our students get an outstanding scholastic and extracurricular education and involving parents in the outcome of their child’s education.