Western politicians want Education CS, PS summoned over school fire tragedy

 

A section of MPs from Kakamega County join in a dance with Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives Wycliffe Oparanya during the issuance of Sh72million Uwenzo Fund to Women and youth groups at Malinya DCC office in Ikolomani Constituency on September 7th, 2024. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

A section of leaders in the Western region wants the National Assembly Committee on Education to summon Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migosi over the deaths of 21 students at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri County.

Cooperatives and MSMEs Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya called on security agencies to conduct thorough investigations into the incident and ensure those culpable are brought to book.

Oparanya asked the Ministry of Education to strictly enforce safety policies in schools.

“We want the issue to be thoroughly investigated so that Kenyans can get a report of what transpired and the report should be the basis of our intervention and measures which should be strictly implemented,” he said.

Kakamega Deputy Governor Ayub Savula urged the Education Committee to summon top education officials to tell Kenyans what happened during the Thursday night fire at Hillside Endarasha Academy and who slept on the job on implementation of safety measures in schools.

“We do not want the issue of investigation we have had many arson incidences in schools followed by subsequent investigations but no one has ever been held responsible, this time we do not want the usual and formal investigation. We want members of the Education Committee in the National Assembly to summon the Education CS and PS on Monday so that people can be held responsible for laxity that has caused the death of innocent souls,” said Savula.

“We have quality assurance people being paid by taxpayers' money they should tell us what they have been doing in our schools as per their mandate because most of their work is to frustrate school heads instead of sealing any loopholes that might cause security and safety threats for our children,” he added.

Nambale MP Geoffrey Mulanya emphasized the need for accountability from officials who issue compliance certificates, and claimed that some private schools obtain the documents through dubious means.

“We must hold all who issue compliance certificates to schools accountable in case of any tragedies in schools. Some private schools collude with the Directorate of Quality Assurance and Standards to get certificates without meeting standards,” said Mulanya.

Education Committee Vice Chairperson and Malava MP Malulu Injendi said it is high time the nation reconsidered whether it is necessary to have Junior Secondary School students in boarding schools.

“These kids are very young to be in boarding school, they are unable to respond quickly to issues like fire outbreaks or emergencies we as a country need to ask ourselves whether it is high time to do away with boarding schools for such age,” said Malulu.

Lurambi MP Titus Khamala, Shinyalu MP Fred Ikana, and Ikolomani legislator Ben Shinali implored the Ministries of Education and Health through school's administrators and Boards of Management to strictly adhere to the laid down standards on safety measures within the schools to avert tragedy.

“We want quality assurance officers to audit all the safety measures in schools with the help of the Ministry of Health whether in private or public schools to ensure safety precautions are adhered to,” said Khamala.

They were speaking during the issuance of Uwezo Fund cheque worth Sh72 million to groups in Ikolomani constituency, Kakamega county, over the weekend.