A section of a burnt dormitory at Chugu High School on February 9, 2021. (Inset) Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba.
Thousands of primary and Junior Secondary school learners in boarding facilities have been living in death traps, a report from inspection by the Education ministry has revealed.
An inspection of 3,199 primary boarding schools, which followed the September tragedy where 21 learners lost their lives in Endarasha, Nyeri County, has revealed wanton disregard for the guidelines that govern the running of such institutions.
There were instances of institutions operating as boarding schools without requisite registration while other schools were found to be giving learners untreated water. Education officials also raised alarm over the admission of pre-school children as boarders and narrow dormitory exits and windows that can’t open, a gross deviation from the rules was observed.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba has said that due to the report, 348 boarding schools will now operate only as day schools from January next year.
“Major concerns pointed out during the exercise include dormitory safety, sanitation, fire equipment maintenance, and overall learner welfare,” the Education minister told journalists in Nakuru.
A summary of the report, seen by Nation. Africa, indicated that of the schools inspected, 380 are marked as not approved. They comprise 113 institutions from the Rift Valley region, 23 from Central, North Eastern (31), Nyanza (29), Western (19), Eastern (89), Coast (18), and Nairobi (53). This is higher than the 348 indicated by the Cabinet Secretary and it is not clear if the others have been left off the hook.
The inspectors looked at several key issues. These included: registration; dormitories; water and sanitation facilities; fire safety equipment; fencing, CCTV, record-keeping; kitchen and dining safety; and learner welfare.
A total of 2,974 schools were assessed, of which 1,415 were public and 1,659 were private.
The yardsticks used were the Registration Guidelines for Basic Education Institutions (2021) and the Safety Manual for Schools in Kenya (2008).
On registration, the team found that most of the schools surveyed were not officially allowed to be boarding institutions.
“A majority of the schools were not registered as boarding institutions and therefore were operating illegally,” the report states. “Some schools did not have land ownership documents registered in their name.”
The team recommended that all schools that have invalid certificates be re-registered.
Regarding dormitories, dire safety concerns were realised.
“Most of the schools had dormitories with grills on the windows, single exits and doors that opened inwards,” the report states, noting that some schools did not even have areas specifically designated to be boarding sections.
“Some of the dormitories were repurposed buildings such as dining halls, classrooms and workshops. These facilities had undergone modifications without approval from relevant authorities, including public health, public works, and Nema,” it adds.
Equally, dormitory facilities were found to lack amenities for pupils living with disabilities. That was not all — some schools had no certificates to show that electrical works done on their dormitories were certified.
The report adds that some schools had triple-decker beds while others had wooden beds.
“Triple-decker beds and wooden beds should not be used since they are against safety standards,” stated the report.
Dormitories were also congested, with the spacing running afoul of the 2008 manual.
“Congestion in the dormitories was common in the schools assessed. The spacing between the beds in most schools assessed was less than 1.2 metres while the corridor or pathway space was less than two metres, contrary to the provisions,” said the report.
The team also realised that some boys’ schools did not have adults to assist the pupils in their dormitories.
“A few schools did not have patrons/wardens for boys’ dormitories. In some schools, the matrons were assigned roles in dormitories for the male learners. Some schools had admitted boarders who were in pre-primary level contrary to the provisions of the Registration Guidelines for Basic Education Institutions (2021),” the report says.
The team recommended that women be in charge of girls’ dormitories and men take charge of boy’s boarding areas.
“Pre-primary school learners should not be admitted to boarding,” it added.
When the inspectors looked at the water and sanitation facilities, it was also a sad picture.
“In some schools, toilets did not have doors and in some cases, the shutters were not age-appropriate, especially for pre-primary learners where full doors were provided instead of half doors,” the report says, also noting that some schools did not provide treated water for learners.
“All drinking water should be treated before use in all boarding schools,” the team directed.
After their checks on fire safety equipment, the team recommended: “All institutions should install the basic firefighting equipment and train staff and learners on their use, risk preparedness and response.”
They added: “All schools should have designated fire assembly points, conduct regular fire drills for learners and staff, and prepare evacuation routes in case of emergency.”
The team’s analysis of kitchen facilities also unearthed serious hazards.
“Most of the school kitchens lacked appropriate smoke canopies to provide ventilation,” stated the report. “In most schools assessed, kitchens had poor drainage, inappropriate solid waste disposal and unsuitable chopping surfaces.”
They further stated: “Most school dining halls did not have adequate chairs and tables. In some instances, where available, they were not age appropriate.”
That’s not all; a majority of the food handlers in schools did not have valid medical certificates.
“Schools should prioritise maintenance and hygiene in the kitchen and dining area,” the team recommended.
The investigators also probed welfare issues like diet and healthcare.
“In some schools, learners were not provided with a balanced diet,” the report says.
And in the treatment areas for pupils, they discovered that sickbays were not provided for.
“Nor were their qualified nurses,” they added.
Another welfare matter that emerged was the vehicles used to transport learners, and the team found out that some were not painted yellow as per the existing regulations.
“[Some] did not meet the NTSA standards for institutional vehicles,” stated the team, noting that school heads had no oversight role in the transportation function.
Other facilities that were probed were swimming pools.
“Some of the schools which had swimming pools did not adhere to safety standards in terms of construction and maintenance,” the team stated.
Regarding fencing and CCTV, the team stated that situations beggared belief.
“In some schools assessed, the fence was porous and without gates. In some instances where gates were available, they were not manned,” the inspectors found out. “In a majority of the schools assessed, CCTV cameras were not installed in the boarding area as required.”
Moreover, the team found out that boarding registers were not updated often and that school heads were not residing in the boarding facilities as per guidelines issued in 2021.
“Heads of institutions should reside in all schools with boarding sections as required,” they said.
They also found out that male guards were working as watchmen in girls’ boarding schools, and they recommended that there should be female guards among the teams guarding girls’ facilities.
The audit was conducted following the September 5 fire tragedy where 21 learners died at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Kieni. After the incident, President William Ruto directed the Education and Interior ministries to audit all schools for compliance with safety standards.
