Schools in dilemma over Monday Saba Saba protests threat
Police stand guard along Parliament Road in Nairobi on June 25, 2025 during the anti-government protest on June 25, 2025.
What you need to know:
- The protests are expected to peak on Monday, the anniversary of the historic 1990 Saba Saba protests for democratic reforms in Kenya.
- There are fears that the demonstrations, driven by Gen Z activists and civil society groups, could lead to insecurity in major towns.
Schools across the country, especially in cities and towns, have quietly issued notices and messages to parents, advising them not to send their children to the institutions on Monday, July 7, due to uncertainty over the planned Saba Saba protests.
Heads of institutions cited safety concerns for students and staff, with many stating they would monitor the situation before resuming normal operations.
The protests are expected to peak on Monday, the anniversary of the historic 1990 Saba Saba protests for democratic reforms in Kenya.
“Due to the anticipated protest on Monday 7/7/25 we are requesting the learners to remain at home and report back on Tuesday 8/7/25.Usual time. Thank you,” read some of the notices seen by the Daily Nation.
The coordinated move comes amid fears that demonstrations, driven by Gen Z activists and civil society groups, could lead to disruption and insecurity in major towns and transport corridors.
Education stakeholders have raised concerns over the continued disruption of learning due to the ongoing nationwide demonstrations, urging the government to guarantee the safety of learners and teachers whenever such protests occur.
In a statement released on Saturday, the Education Stakeholders Association of Kenya noted that recent protests — often marred by chaos and violent confrontations between demonstrators and law enforcement—have led to growing fear among parents and forced school closures across the country.
“Yesterday parents started receiving text messages from schools that children should not report on Monday 7th July 2025 (Saba Saba) because of intended demonstrations that sometimes degenerate into chaos and bloody confrontation between demonstrators and the security agencies,” said Ndung'u Wangenye National Secretary Education Stakeholders Association of Kenya.
“Last week Wednesday June 25, 2025 parents received similar communication from respective schools,” he added
The association warned that these frequent interruptions are threatening the already fragile academic calendar, especially at a time when schools are still struggling to fully implement the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system.
“It should be noted that schools are still trying to set the right footing in the implementation of CBE and frequent disruptions of school activities will adversely affect the implementation of the new curriculum,” he said.
He further noted that the education sector is yet to recover from previous disruptions, including the prolonged COVID-19 shutdown in 2021 and 2022, last year’s KUPPET strike, and nationwide flooding that displaced thousands of learners.
“In 2021 to 2022 Covid 19 disrupted the school Calendar for almost two years. With political temperatures rising as we inch closer to the 2027 General Elections, there is a genuine fear that schools will increasingly bear the brunt of instability,” Wangenye added.
Stakeholders are now calling on the government to prioritise the safety and continuity of education by ensuring adequate security for schools during protests, and to protect what they described as the "real casualties" of the current unrest the school-going children.
“As Education Stakeholders, we are concerned that learners and teachers are being placed in harm’s way. We urge the government to step in decisively and assure the country that education will not be held hostage by political events,” Wangenye said.
On June 25, at least 16 people lost their lives and over 400 were injured during a nationwide demonstration held to honour victims of last year’s anti-government protests. The event turned chaotic as clashes erupted between protesters and police in various parts of the country.