By Michelle Ndaga
St. George’s Girls Secondary School in Nairobi has been closed indefinitely after more than 1,800 students staged a night protest over an alleged assault of a Form Three student by a teacher.
The unrest erupted on Sunday night, September 7, after reports emerged that a student who had braces suffered jaw injuries following punishment by a teacher for stepping out of the dormitory to observe the rare “blood moon” lunar eclipse.
The incident sparked outrage among the students, who stormed out of their dorms, climbed over the school gate, and marched onto Dennis Pritt Road, just 200 meters from State House.
The students staged a sit-in along the busy road before heading to the offices of Royal Media Services, demanding accountability and an end to what they described as routine corporal punishment and harassment by male teachers. Police officers and school administrators struggled to restore calm, but the protests persisted late into the night.
By Monday morning, the Dagoretti North Deputy County Commissioner and Kilimani OCPD ordered the school closed.
Parents were directed to collect their daughters, with learners given only 20 minutes to pack and vacate the premises.
Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris condemned the alleged assault and urged stakeholders to prioritize the safety and dignity of learners while supporting teachers to maintain professionalism.
Authorities have since launched investigations into the incident, while the teacher implicated in the assault was arrested.
The closure has left parents anxious over academic disruptions, as the school is a key national girls’ boarding institution with a population of over 1,800 students.
The Ministry of Education is yet to issue an official statement on when the school will reopen.
