Why Kenyan kids are burning schools, killing classmates

Nearly 50 fires have swept through Kenyan schools in 2026, with 16 girls killed at Utumishi Girls' Academy. Nine students are suspected of setting their dormitory ablaze, where doors were locked from outside. Psychologist Catherine Gachutha attributes the arson to exam pressure, youth unemployment, and the influence of violent street protests. The education system, plagued by underfunding and corruption, along with a preference for colonial-style boarding schools, exacerbates the crisis.