A section of a burnt dormitory at Chugu High School on February 9, 2021. (Inset) Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba.
With just a month to schools reopening for the first term of 2025, learners of 348 primary boarding schools face uncertainties after the government ordered the institutions' closure.
The Ministry of Education has released a list of public and private primary boarding schools that are not compliant with safety and security measures following a recent audit.
Some of the notable schools in Nairobi County include St Hannah’s Primary and Junior School, St Elizabeth Academy, Rockfields Junior School, Mirema School, Kasarani Group of Schools and Le Pic School.
The audit came at the back of the fire tragedy that killed 21 learners from Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri County tragedy two months ago. Initial investigations revealed glaring safety challenges in the construction of boarding facilities in the school.
The circular sent by the principal secretary for Basic Education Belio Kipsang to regional, county and sub-county directors of education contains names of schools throughout the country, with about 50 schools from Nairobi County ordered shut.
The assessment established that most boarding primary schools are grappling with safety and infrastructural challenges that put the lives of learners at risk.
However, the audit did not extend to boarding secondary schools which face the same safety and security challenges.
'Gross contravention'
Dr Kipsang said the assessment exercise to establish the status of compliance with safety standards for all boarding primary schools in the country was carried out between September and October 2024 which revealed some institutions grossly contravened the provisions of the Safety Standards Manual for Schools in Kenya (2008).
According to the PS, the schools did not adhere to the standards as prescribed in the Registration Guidelines for Basic Education Institutions (2021).
"The purpose of this circular therefore is to direct you to close down the boarding sections of all schools within your jurisdiction that were not approved as per the attached list. Re-opening of the boarding sections should strictly be upon a re-registration process," said the PS.
He directed the regional and county education officials to ensure that affected parents are informed in good time for them to make alternative arrangements for their children.
Last month, the Director of Quality Assurance and Standards Ms Evelyne Owoko said the assessment of boarding primary and junior schools revealed that some schools had admitted boarders who were at the pre-primary level contrary to the provisions of the Registration Guidelines for Basic Education Institutions (2021).
The assessment was initiated in response to the directive of President William Ruto to the Ministries of Education and Interior to audit all schools for compliance with safety standards after the tragic fire at Hill Side Endarasha Academy on September 5, 2024.
Inspections
On September 11, 2024, the Cabinet Secretary for Education Julius Ogamba announced, that education officers, in collaboration with relevant state agencies, would conduct urgent inspections of all public and private schools across Kenya.
The inspection began in Nairobi from September 10 to 17, 2024, and continued in the remaining seven regions from September 13 to October 24, 2024. The assessments were conducted by field officers and quality assurance officers to ensure compliance with safety guidelines.
"The purpose of the assessment was to determine the level of compliance of boarding primary and junior school to school safety as stipulated in the Safety Standards Manual for Schools in Kenya (MOE 2008) and other Safety regulations," said Ms Owoko.
Ms Owoko said the audit unearthed insecurity concerns in the institutions of learning.
A total of 2,974 schools were assessed out of which 1,415 were public and 1,659 were private.
"Majority of the schools were not registered as boarding institutions and therefore were operating illegally," revealed the Quality Assurance and Standards Director.
She urged all schools with invalid registration certificates to seek re-registration.
Some dormitories had windows without grills, emergency exits and doors that opened outward. A few schools had designated boarding areas and had adhered to standards on safety for learners with disability.
Congestion
Congestion in the dormitories was common in the schools assessed. The spacing between the beds in most schools assessed was less than 1.2 meters while the corridor or pathway space was less than two meters contrary to the provisions of the Safety Standards Manual for Schools in Kenya (2008).
Few schools did not have patrons/wardens for boys dormitories. In some schools, the matrons were assigned roles in dormitories for the male learners.
A few schools had functional firefighting equipment and sandbuckets
All learning institutions were directed to install the basic firefighting equipment and train staff and learners on their use, risk preparedness and response
"In some schools assessed, the fence was porous and without gates. In some instances where gates were available, they were not manned. Most schools did not engage female night security guards to take care of the security needs of female learners, instead, there were male guards," she added.
In her recommendation, she directed schools to install CCTV cameras around the boarding areas for surveillance purposes
Some of the schools that had swimming pools did not adhere to safety standards in terms of construction and maintenance.
