A fresh wave of disruptions in public secondary schools has pushed the Ministry of Education to escalate its response, with all principals and senior education officers now ordered into an urgent nationwide virtual briefing aimed at addressing the rising cases of unrest affecting learning.
The session is set for Thursday at 8am and will be led by Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok.
It was initially planned for May 13 but was later shifted to May 14 as reports of strikes, fires and walkouts continued to emerge from different parts of the country.
The meeting will bring together principals of all public secondary schools, alongside regional, county and sub-county education directors, in a coordinated effort to confront the ongoing instability in learning institutions.
In a circular issued on May 12, 2026, PS Bitok instructed field education officers to ensure every school head participates in the session.
He stated: “You are asked to inform all principals of public secondary schools within your jurisdiction to attend the meeting. The link will be shared before the meeting.”
The directive comes against a backdrop of repeated unrest in schools, with incidents of student strikes, destruction of property, arson attacks and sudden closures disrupting learning in several counties.
On May 12, Kaumoni Boys High School in Makueni County was hit by unrest after students allegedly torched several administrative buildings, adding to a growing number of similar cases reported recently.
In Kiambu County, Mirithu Girls Secondary School was closed indefinitely in April after a dormitory fire led to major losses, while Matungulu Boys Secondary School in Machakos County experienced a similar incident in January when four dormitories were destroyed in a fire.
In February, Njoro Girls Senior School in Nakuru County was shut down after protests linked to the death of a Form Four student, with learners accusing school leadership of negligence in handling the matter.
Other schools, including Kangaru Boys Secondary in Embu County and Chebwagan Boys High School in Kericho County, have also been affected by repeated student strikes and disruptions that have interfered with normal learning.
The Ministry of Interior had earlier rolled out a security operation targeting schools in several counties, among them Kericho, Nandi, Nakuru, Kitui, Tharaka Nithi, Kakamega, Narok, Kisii, Nyeri, Nyamira, Kajiado, Migori, Kirinyaga, Trans Nzoia and Nairobi, in a bid to curb the rising cases of unrest.
Last week, PS Bitok cautioned that schools found to be repeatedly involved in violence and destruction of property would face firm government action, urging stronger discipline systems and improved early warning measures within institutions.
The upcoming virtual meeting is expected to map out coordinated interventions to restore calm, protect learners, and ensure continuity of education as authorities intensify efforts to stabilise the sector.