Elgeyo Marakwet high schools probe after boys sneak into girls' dorm at midnight

Two secondary schools in Elgeyo Marakwet County are entangled in a sex scandal involving students.

Santa Maria Cheptulon Girls and Marakwet Boys High School have been the subject of discussion within education circles.

It is after the eight randy boys from Marakwet High School sneaked out of their institution at 11pm and walked into Santa Maria Girls, located five kilometers away. Their mission not long ago, was to enjoy a romantic cold with the girls in one of the dormitories.

And nothing stopped them. According to confessions by one of the girls, the boys arrived at about midnight, and sneaked into the school unnoticed. Almost two months now, the matter remains unresolved with the girls' school being on the eye of storm over the manner it handled the situation.

It has emerged 22 girls in Form Form suspected of engaging in the sexual escapades were suspended after being fingered out by their colleagues who are said to have witnessed the amorous encounters in the dorm that night.

But a section of parents are seeking justice for their daughters, who they claim were unfairly targeted.

At Marakwet Boys however, a source who is privy to a disciplinary process against the eight boys defended the culprits, insisting the boys were invited by the girls.

According to the source, the boys left school at 11pm and watchmen were alerted and they remained vigilant.

"After leaving at 11am, our security guards were put on high alert because some of the boys reported that their peers had left the school compound," he said.

He went on to say: "The first boy returned to the school at 4am. The remaining returned minutes later. We decided to take them to Police Station in Chebiemit for interrogation and they confessed that they were from Santa Maria Girls."

According to the source, the eight boys were suspended and have since returned to school.

"They told us that the girls invited them to their school that night. They met during the holidays and planned the date. We learnt from the boys that the night visits were a tradition which has thrived for decades," said a teacher.

The matter would have been settled that time but it refuses to die following complaints by the parents of one girl who was slapped with a second suspension.The girl is yet to return to school and her mother has vowed to go to any length to seek justice for her daughter.

"My daughter and 21 others were suspended after other students implicated her in the offence of sleeping with boys in their dormitory. She was asked to report to school for a disciplinary process on July 30, accompanied with a parent or guardian or guardian.

"When we reached Santa Maria Cheptulon to face the disciplinary committee, the girls were asked to confess to sleeping with boys so that they are allowed back to school. My daughter maintained that she did not sleep with the boys from Marakwet High School and she was given another suspension," the angry mother said.

Santa Maria Girls Cheptulon acting Principal Consolata Ojwang said the boys sneaked into her school but refused to divulge further details. She said the school's Board of Management met over the matter.

"Yes, it happened. Some boys sneaked into our school but the matter was dealt with by the disciplinary committee which prepared a report. The section of the fence that they used to gain entry has been repaired," she said before declining to respond to a number of questions.

She could not give details on how the boys entered the girls school and spent hours in the dormitory without anyone including watchmen noticing. There were questions on why 22 girls were suspended yet only eight boys gained entry into the dormitory.

The traumatised girl who was suspended for the second time maintains that she saw the boys entering the dormitory at midnight but did not sleep with them.

"I saw them talking to one of the girls before they entered the dormitory. I was told to confess that I slept with them yet I did not. I want to be allowed back to school," she said.

A suspension letter signed by the acting Principal reads in part: "Your daughter has been sent home on suspension for two weeks with effect from 8th September 2025, for having been implicated in immoral behaviour."

Marakwet West Sub-County Director of Education Kipyego Sang said the disciplinary process on both students and teachers is still underway.

"The disciplinary process is on and is yet to reach our stage. When it comes to the full board, it will be mandatory for the Sub-County Director of Education to attend," the education official said.

Rights activist Kimutai Kirui who recently visited the school to demand answers on behalf of some parents said it was alarming that the school failed to immediately involve child protection officers, medical professionals, and the police after the incident.

"Why were the students not taken for proper medical examinations to establish the facts? Why did the police not open an investigation, despite the serious implications? The school has no legal mandate to act as investigator, judge, and jury in such a sensitive matter," said Kirui.

The activist is concerned that the girls reportedly admitted that male visitors had accessed them repeatedly on school grounds.

"This highlights a disturbing breakdown in campus security. How were these individuals allowed in and out without detection or accountability? The safety of all students is clearly at risk. We call for an immediate independent investigation into the school's handling of this incident, accountability for those who failed in their duty of care and stronger child protection and security measures within the school," said Kirui.