Recently, Kenya has witnessed a worrying rise in cases of students dying while in school. Some deaths are sudden and unexplained. Others are linked to mental health struggles, accidents, violence, or alleged negligence.
Whatever the cause, the outcome is the same: a young life lost and a family left shattered. Behind every report is a parent who trusted the school gate would be a place of safety. Instead, some are receiving the most devastating phone call of their lives. An empty desk remains. A uniform is folded away too soon.
Our schools are under pressure, and so are the children. Academic expectations are high, competition is intense, and many students silently battle stress and emotional distress. Yet counselling services remain limited in many institutions. Bullying often goes unreported. Safety gaps still exist.
We must stop reacting with shock and start responding with action. Protecting students must go beyond exam results and school rankings. Mental health support should be strengthened. Safety standards must be enforced. Students must feel heard, not judged.
Education should build futures, not bury them. When the bell rings in the morning, every child deserves the certainty that they will walk back home safely at the end of the day.
