Wave of school fires hits Jamhuri High School and Kerugoya Girls High School

Two more Kenyan secondary schools reported separate fire incidents at their facilities over the weekend.

The two schools - Jamhuri High School in Nairobi and Kerugoya Girls High School in Kirinyaga - are the latest to join the list of schools that have experienced student unrest over the past month.

Both incidents took place on Sunday November 15, 2021 and some students have been admitted in hospital over smoke inhalation, no casualties were reported.

Auhorities have established that the fire at Kerugoya Girls High School started on Sunday afternoon at the dormitories causing extensive damage at the buildings.

Several girls are admitted at the Kerugoya Level Five Hospital for treatment on smoke inhalation.

With the cause of the fire yet to be established, reports indicate that the Sunday fire at Jamhuri High School razed down a dormitory at the institution.

Quick response by the Nairobi Fire Department saw the incident curtailed before any casualties were reported.

Education CAS advocates for Counselling

Speaking last week, Education Chief Administrative Secretary Dr Sarah Ruto noted that the government is looking to provide counseling for students as a way to curb the increasing cases of unrest.

She said that a collaborative work among the parents, teachers and Boards of Management in engaging children is the best approach in ending unrest in schools.

"We’ll realize improvement in education sector only if we protect the already built infrastructures. Let’s strive to formulate measures that provide solutions to the local problems," the CAS stated.

Education Principal Secretary Julius Jwan reiterated that the government would not be catering for the cost of reconstruction and repairs following the unrest.

"The Government will not finance reconstruction of any building burnt by students in schools. Parents of that particular school will be responsible. Security agencies should be on the lookout so that any arson suspects in school do not go scot free. We must get hold of these criminals.

"School heads should have conversations with their students and address the issues before they culminate in burning a school," PS Jwan advised.