One of Kenya’s most respected national schools has been closed indefinitely after students staged a violent protest against scheduled examinations, hurling stones and destroying school property.
St. Patrick’s Iten Boys High School, located in Elgeyo Marakwet County, was abruptly shut down after unrest erupted over the weekend. The incident forced school officials to send all learners home as a safety measure.
Local education authorities said the students had opposed sitting this term’s exams and turned their frustration into a full-blown rampage.
“Students went on strike and caused serious damage to school property,” confirmed Alice Sitienei, the Keiyo North Sub-County Director of Education.
Photographs circulating in local media showed shattered windows, vandalised classrooms and buildings scarred by rocks. The school, which sits just 500 metres from Iten township and about 32 kilometres from Eldoret, appeared eerily empty as pupils streamed out under supervision.
A School Steeped in Prestige, Now in Turmoil
St. Patrick’s Iten is no ordinary institution. Renowned for its academic excellence and for producing world-class athletes, the school has long held a place of pride in Kenya’s national education system. Among its notable alumni is Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen.
But behind the legacy lies simmering tension. According to reports, students and some stakeholders have accused the school’s administration—particularly the principal—of presiding over declining academic standards. Some blamed poor performance and lack of leadership for the growing discontent.
Those claims remain unverified, but the school’s closure adds to a troubling wave of unrest sweeping Kenyan high schools in recent months.
A Broader Pattern of Disruption
The Iten incident is the latest in a series of violent outbursts involving secondary schools across the country.
In May, Bukhalalire High School in Busia County was closed after a dormitory fire injured six students. Sub-County Director of Education John Kemei ordered an indefinite shutdown to allow for a full investigation.
Last month, students at St. Mary’s Ukwala High School in Siaya County staged a walkout over claims that substandard maize flour was being used to prepare ugali, a staple food. They smashed windows and marched to the local education office to demand action.
Education officials have expressed growing concern over these flashpoints of student anger, often triggered by complaints about poor food, excessive discipline, or academic pressure.
What Next for Iten?
In Iten, the future of the school now hangs in the balance. Officials have not indicated when the institution might reopen or what disciplinary measures—if any—will follow.
Calls for investigations are already mounting, with some parents and local leaders urging the Ministry of Education to step in.
Meanwhile, the silence that now hangs over St. Patrick’s Iten Boys High is a stark contrast to its once-vibrant classrooms and athletic fields. For a school built on legacy and promise, this latest chapter is as sobering as it is uncertain.