School fires have become a recurring crisis in Kenya and, despite public outcry and repeated promises from the Ministry of Education, there are reasons to believe the problem may persist unless deeper issues are addressed.
At the heart of the crisis are deep-seated grievances that many students carry but often lack safe and effective channels to express. Overcrowding, harsh disciplinary approaches, poor meals, and limited opportunities for learners to voice concerns create frustration that accumulates over time.
When students feel unheard and powerless, destructive actions may become the only means through which they believe their concerns will attract attention.
Weak early warning systems
Compounding the problem is the weakness of early warning and response systems in many schools.
Teachers and former principals have pointed to warning signs that frequently precede unrest, including sudden silence on student communication platforms, avoidance of school heads, and the formation of cliques that divide the school community.
Yet counselling services remain overstretched, while sub-county education offices are often slow to intervene. Without structured mechanisms to respond to these signals, minor tensions can gradually escalate into major crises.
The copycat effect
Another factor is the normalization of arson through copycat behaviour.
When one school experiences a fire, the incident often dominates news coverage and social media discussions. Students in other institutions observe that burning a dormitory can disrupt examinations, send learners home, and force authorities to respond.
In a system characterized by intense academic pressure and limited breaks, some learners may view arson as an extreme but effective escape route. The more frequently such incidents occur, the more they appear to be an available option.
Inconsistent accountability
The problem is also sustained by inconsistent consequences.
Students found guilty may be expelled, transferred, or processed through the juvenile justice system, but outcomes often vary. The perception that arson carries limited personal consequences weakens deterrence.
Parents sometimes focus on removing their children from immediate danger rather than demanding accountability, further weakening the connection between actions and consequences.
Lessons from the past
Some observers have suggested that Kenya could borrow from the approach once associated with former Attorney General Charles Njonjo in addressing the chang’aa problem.
The argument is that allowing individuals to experience the full consequences of their actions eventually discourages harmful behaviour. While the approach may have reduced the glamour associated with illicit brewing for a time, it did not eliminate the problem entirely.
Applied to school arson, such a strategy would mean removing learners from boarding environments and imposing severe punishment after investigations. However, this approach would do little to address the underlying causes of frustration, poor communication, and inadequate support systems.
A reflection of wider society
The broader social and economic environment also contributes to the crisis.
Many young people are growing up amid unemployment, economic hardship, and political polarization. Schools do not exist in isolation from these realities.
When public trust in institutions is low and confrontational behaviour is frequently displayed in public life, students may become more inclined to adopt destructive methods of expressing dissatisfaction.
The way forward
Until Kenya addresses these structural challenges through genuine student participation, effective early warning systems, consistent accountability, and realistic school capacities, arson is likely to remain a recurring feature in learning institutions.
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Punitive measures alone have not broken the cycle over the past decade. Greater emphasis on dialogue, mental health support, learner welfare, and safer school environments may ultimately determine whether the pattern continues or finally changes.
By Enock Okong’o
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