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Students linked to the Utumishi Girls High School dormitory fire that claimed the lives of 16 students appear before Chief Magistrate Ramadhan Abdulqadir at the Naivasha Law Courts. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]
This week, my mind has been on teenagers. This is partly because of the disturbing reports that students at Utumishi Girls School allegedly planned and set part of their school ablaze. The incident has generated disbelief and endless speculation.
But beyond the immediate shock lies a deeper question that deserves my attention: what does this tell us about the world of today’s teenager? Allow me to look beyond the flames and examine this restless and often misunderstood stage of life and the role literature can play in helping young people navigate its uncertainties and contradictions.
What characterises this stage in life? Teenagers are restless, curious, impulsive and at times rebellious. They constantly test boundaries and question authority. It is a stage when young people ask difficult questions about the structures that govern society, which we ignore at our own peril. They seek to define their identities and, in some cases, aspire to lifestyles that may not align with adult expectations. They challenge values that previous generations have long taken for granted, but above all, they are searching for meaning.
