Even before the Ministry of Education’s order for schools to close for half term is implemented, 11 learning institutions in the South Rift region have been closed over unrest.
Tenwek Boys High School and Koiwa Boys High School are the latest to be closed on Monday and Thursday respectively in Bomet County.
Chebonei Girls, Chebunyo Boys, Mogor Secondary schools were closed last week as a result of strikes.
In Kericho County the affected institutions are – Kericho Boys, Kipsigis Girls, Kericho Tea Boys, Kipsolu Boys and Litein Boys High schools.
In all the schools in Kericho County, the learners broke window panes in classrooms and dormitories over alleged failure by the institutions’ administrations to address a myriad of issues raised by the learners.
Kericho County Director of Education Rose Sagara declined to speak to journalists over strikes in the region.
Ms Sagara referred the media to the Rift Valley regional education offices or the ministry headquarters for a comment on the rising cases of strikes in the learning institutions.
It is also claimed that the students in all the affected schools were given a gag order or face further disciplinary action should they speak to the media.
The unprecedented cases of strikes in the region have been caused by cases of alleged poor diet, leaking dormitories and transfer of teachers.
The transfer of Kipsigis Girls Principal Juliana Kirui resulted in a strike a week ago, after she swapped positions with Moi Girls Eldoret High School Principal Christine Chumba.
At Kericho Tea Boys High School, students are alleged to have been denied an opportunity to watch an English Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester United, leading to the strike.
Kakamega High school joins the list of schools that have been closed so far. Senior Principal Gerald Orina while addressing parents who gathered outside the school said the school will be closed Indefinitely since the students dormitory that hosts 600 went down due to fire inferno that broke out at around 5.30am when other students were in classes. He said investigations are still on to establish the cause of the fire though some boys were arrested and are in police custody to aide investigations. 
Nyamira Boys in Nyamira county was the recent case that was reported yesterday, the fire broke out at around 9.30pm,the Nyamira county emergency team responded very well as the fire was contained.
Some students lost properties like mattresses and boarding items.
