Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i has blamed parents for the poor upbringing of their children that he says is the main cause of unrest in schools.
Speaking on Friday in Kisii school during a prize giving event, Matiang'i told parents to talk to their children frequently and tell them consequences of being undisciplined.
His remarks were supported by Kisii County Deputy Commissioner Peter Mbugi who told parents to teach their children about responsibilities and not flattering them.
"Parents, children are gifts from God. Let us train them in the right way. Let us take our time to talk to our children about the repercussions of indiscipline. Gambling, drug, and substance abuse are growing in our schools. This is not acceptable. It's everyone's prerogative to stand against this behavior," Matiang'i reasoned with parents.
"Does it mean you destroy properties like burning a house when you have differed with your parents or any other person?" he asked students.
The CS told school heads to have mutual relationship and understanding with key stakeholders to prevent any eventuality.
He maintained the new rules on examinations and management will be on course to bring sanity in the education sector.
"Its time to reform. I ask principals and headteachers to intensify engagement with parents. Build a solid framework of collaboration. Personally, I am determined to live truthfully, objectively and honestly. Let us work together, be calm and ensure credible exams are given to our students," he added.
The education official warned against politicking in school managements.
"The son of the soil thing is killing our schools. We will not allow clanism, on who to head our schools to continue. Mr Joseph Kinyua, who was Kisii school principal when I was a student here did very well despite that he did not hail from within,"said Matiang'i.
Matiang'i remarks come at a time a spate of fire incidents have been recorded in the country during his tenure as CS, with a majority of them occurring in his backyard in Kisii. The latest incidents are of Riosiri and Bong'onta Secondary schools where dormitories were allegedly torched by students.
In Bong'onta Secondary, the students are said to have been vexed by the school management over mistreatment during their regional football games at Kisumu where they were defeated.
Nyaribari Chache MP Richard Tong'i defended Matiang'i on school fires saying he is not culpable on the incidents.
"Our brother is doing good work that we nicknamed him Magufuli. All of us are disturbed with the burning of our schools but he cannot be a sacrificing lamb. Let us join hands to establish the causes of these fires and have an amicable remedy," appealed the legislature.
Kisii County KESSHA chairman Jairus Onchoke show displeasure with fire incidents, urging students to focus on their performance and not engaging in heinous acts.
He called on the clergy to intervene and pray for the students so that they can reform and do what is right.
Kisii Catholic cleric, Bishop Joseph Mairura has called on parents to inculcate positive morals in their children and challenged school heads to reason with parents and other education stakeholders to curb unrest cases among students.
The CS said the government has allocated a chunk of resources for infrastructural facilities in schools, to ensure 100 percent transition rate among pupils from primary to secondary as enshrined in the Vision 2030 flagship.
Kisii school was among the best schools in the region in its 2015 KCSE exams. It recorded a mean score of 10.0 points becoming the best in Kisii County.
The school's principal Mr Casper Maina, said early coverage of syllabus and mutual relationship between the management and students, were some of the pillars behind the sterling performance.