St. George’s Girls closed indefinitely after a night of violent unrest

St. George’s Girls Secondary School in Nairobi has been closed indefinitely after a night of chaos that left at least two students injured and drew in police, parents and education officials.

The unrest broke out on Sunday night, September 7, during evening studies when students were allowed to step outside to witness the rare lunar eclipse. Some students, including Muslim learners returning from prayers, delayed going back to class, prompting a geography teacher on duty to force them inside, sparking a confrontation.

In the scuffle, two girls were allegedly beaten, with one reportedly sustaining a jaw injury. Her screams drew the attention of fellow students, who quickly rallied in protest.

The situation escalated rapidly, with chants of “We want justice” filling the night. The students smashed the school gate, spilled onto Dennis Pritt and State House roads and staged a sit-in that lasted well into the night. Some even marched toward the nearby Royal Media Services offices. 

A video clip of the protest, showing the girls chanting and demanding the teacher’s dismissal, quickly went viral.

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Police were called to the scene around midnight, managing to escort the students back into the compound, though they refused to return to their dormitories. Officers maintained guard at the school gates as tension simmered.

Meanwhile, anxious parents flocked to the school after receiving distress calls from their daughters. By morning, senior government and education officials, including Dagoretti North Subcounty Commissioner, ministry officials and Kilimani OCPD Patricia Yegon, had arrived to try and restore calm.

At around 10am, the administration announced the indefinite closure of the school, giving students just 20 minutes to vacate the compound. Parents and guardians, many of whom had already gathered, escorted their children home.

The closure has raised fresh concerns about student unrest in schools. Authorities are expected to investigate both the alleged assault that sparked the standoff and the destruction of property that followed.