Arson in Kenyan schools reflects moral state of the country

By TEE NGUGI

School arsons are back with a vengeance. The phenomenon of students burning down their own schools has been a regular occurrence, and yet each time it happens, it violates our sense of community and humanity. In America, burning of black churches sears the American conscience. Every time it happens, Americans are forced to have a difficult conversation about the idea of America.

Church arson in America is mostly perpetrated by white supremacists. This is a group whose world view is defined by medieval superstitions. Their ideology is hatred for and violence against people of a different colour. School burnings, on the other hand, are not perpetrated by people who think that students are an inferior breed. They are perpetrated by the students themselves. The arsons are not targeted at uncritical parts of the buildings. They burn down everything- dormitories, labs, libraries. Even lives of innocent students have been lost in some of these burnings.

Various reasons are given for the burnings. In one incident, a school was burned down because the headmaster refused the students to watch an English Premier League match. Some burnings are a reaction to pressure of exams. Others result from disaffection between students and their teachers. Some are a protest against the diet. Some seem to be caused by students with psychosocial issues. Others stem from pure criminality— done for the thrill of it.

First, it must be unequivocally understood that burning down a school and risking lives of students for whatever grievance is a criminal act. When it happens, the security people must move quickly and arrest the ringleaders and perpetrators, and relentlessly prosecute them. There is no question that a sense of impunity underlies these criminal acts.

Second, we must reform schools so that students have more say about how they are governed. Clearly, the headmaster of the school cited above could have come to an agreement about the football match. Perhaps allow the students to watch the match in exchange for added prep time or chores.

There is also need to establish or strengthen psychosocial support to students in boarding schools. Some of these students come from unhealthy home situations.

Society is also to blame. There is a disturbing trend in our national culture that emphasises rights without responsibility. We have a generation of selfies and ego. A generation of “ it is my way or the highway”.

We have a generation who think not getting instant gratification is a violation of their rights.

Lastly, we are a morally compromised society. We tolerate thieves in government who steal billions. We elevate thieves and tribesmen to the highest offices, yet expect students to be on the straight and narrow. So just like church burnings in America force uncomfortable conversations about the state of the American community, school burnings must, too, force an uncomfortable conversation about the moral state of our Kenyan community and nationhood.