Abstract:
In any country, the task of caring and moulding the behavior of the youth requires a partnership between
parents, teachers and the government. In Kenya, children in public secondary schools are ofte considered
to be under the watch of these three segments. In recent times, Kenya has witnessed a series of studentinstigated school fires affecting dormitories, classrooms among other school structures. This paper reflects
on this phenomenon of school fires and attempts to interrogate the real causes of the school-burning
incidents. It argues that though parents are the chief custodians of discipline for their children, the
government cannot detach itself from this enormous task. The layout of school discipline sytems and
structures also requires some enhancement, necessarily by reinstating caning but by creating a conduceful
environment in schools for student behavior management through a self-regulatory learner focused
discipline enhancement prpgrammes. The paper also argues that the time has come when religious leaders
should be involved in the moral and spiritual nurture of school-going youth in a more structured manner.
