Njoro Girls’ High School in Nakuru County has been closed indefinitely following protests over the death of 18-year-old Form Four student Brenda Akinyi, who passed away at Nakuru Teaching and Referral Hospital after reportedly falling sick while at school.
Parents and local residents accused the school of negligence, claiming delayed medical attention and poor handling of student health emergencies, prompting police to intervene and disperse demonstrations outside the school.
Brenda’s family questioned how her illness was handled. “She was complaining of a persistent headache, but the nurse kept giving her ibuprofen,” said Brenda’s mother. “They failed to contact me to go and take my child to the hospital.”
Her brother Allan Otieno added, “The student was sick for three days, and was not eating, and they only gave her ibuprofen. I asked who knew the child was unwell; the nurse knew, the deputy knew, and even the matron knew. They said she was being given treatment before they called home.”
Parents and residents staged demonstrations outside the school on Monday, demanding answers over Brenda’s death, as police reportedly used tear gas to disperse the crowds.
According to the Nakuru County Director of Education Mulili, the situation forced the school to send Form Three and Form Four students home to prevent further unrest while investigations continue. A postmortem is scheduled for Tuesday to determine the exact cause of death.
Brenda’s mother Millicent Anyango urged caution going forward: “My daughter looked weak and dizzy. Her lips were chapped, too. I don't have much to say because this has already happened, but what I would like to tell the school is that let this not happen to another child.”
The county education office has dismissed claims of negligence, noting that Brenda had a history of illness according to school records. The school has not yet issued an official statement.
