St. George’s Girls Secondary School in Nairobi has been closed indefinitely after a dramatic night of unrest sparked by allegations of corporal punishment.
The chaos began on Sunday night, September 7, when a Form Three student reportedly suffered a jaw injury after being assaulted by a teacher. The girl had stepped out of the dormitory to view the much-anticipated lunar eclipse when the incident occurred.
News of the assault spread quickly across the dorms, triggering anger among the students. By around 10 p.m., more than 1,800 girls had poured out of their dormitories, chanting “Wanatuchapanga!” (“They beat us”). They broke through the school gate and staged a late-night march onto Dennis Pritt Road, some in pyjamas, demanding justice and an end to alleged beatings in the school.
Police officers were called in to contain the protest, while concerned parents also rushed to the school overnight. The following morning, the Dagoretti North Sub-County Security Committee, alongside the school board, ordered the school closed indefinitely. Students were directed to vacate the premises as investigations into the incident began.
Authorities later confirmed that the teacher suspected of assaulting the student had been arrested. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is handling the case.
The closure has left parents divided some praising the move as necessary for safety, while others raised concerns about disruption of the academic calendar. Still, the unrest has reignited debate over discipline in Kenyan schools, especially since corporal punishment is outlawed under the Constitution and the Children Act of 2022.
Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris has urged stakeholders to ensure a thorough investigation, stressing that every child deserves a safe and nurturing learning environment.
For now, the gates of St. George’s Girls remain locked, with no clear date set for reopening.
