They also want schools to improve mental health support for students. The appeal comes after months of student strikes and school fires that have disrupted learning across the country. More than 200 schools have reportedly suspended learning temporarily or closed following unrest, highlighting growing concerns over student welfare and safety.
In the latest incidents, at least three students died in separate school fire tragedies, while scores of others sustained injuries, some with severe burns, as dormitories and other school facilities went up in flames. The fires have also destroyed property valued at hundreds of millions of shillings, forcing several schools to suspend operations and disrupting the academic calendar.
Education experts now say the country's long-standing response of punishing students and charging parents for damaged property has failed to address the root causes of the unrest. Instead, they are urging schools to adopt preventive measures that tackle the social, emotional and economic pressures affecting learners.
In a joint statement, they say that today's students face mounting challenges both at home and in school. "Rising living costs and demanding work schedules have reduced the amount of time many parents spend with their children, with digital devices increasingly filling the gap left by active parenting," the statement reads.