Kenya Mourns as Parents Fear for Children’s Safety in Boarding Schools.
As Kenya grieves for the 21 children who perished in a boarding school fire, parents across the country are grappling with the fear of recurring tragedies.
On Thursday, a memorial service was held for the boys, aged nine to thirteen, who lost their lives in a dormitory fire at Hillside Endarasha Academy on September 6.
This particular incident was especially tragic, with the victims’ bodies burnt beyond recognition, necessitating DNA testing for identification.
Unfortunately, school fires are not uncommon in Kenya. More than twelve fires have occurred this year alone, reflecting a long history of such disasters.
In 2018, authorities recorded 63 cases of arson in schools, and in a three-month period of 2016, 117 cases were documented.
Most of these fires affect boarding schools, which are widespread throughout the country, a remnant of the British colonial system and missionary influence. Boarding schools are still seen by many parents as both prestigious and practical.
Parental Concerns
Silvana Wachira, a 47-year-old receptionist, had enrolled her three children in a boarding school near Nairobi to shield them from the city’s heavy traffic.
However, after the Hillside incident, she felt the decision was not worth the safety of her children, stating that the accounts from the school shattered her emotionally.
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Similarly, Phineas Ojwang’, whose 11-year-old daughter attends a school 400 kilometers away, has been increasingly anxious about her safety.
He shared his concerns, revealing that he keeps in close contact with the school’s matron to check on his daughter regularly. Like many parents, he plans to withdraw her from boarding school at the end of the year.
Arson as a Common Factor
The investigation into the Hillside fire is ongoing, but authorities have ruled out electrical faults as the cause. In many instances, students are responsible for setting the fires.
In 2017, a fire at a prominent school in Nairobi claimed the lives of ten students, and a 14-year-old student with behavioral issues was convicted of manslaughter.
In 2001, another tragic fire in Machakos County resulted in 67 deaths, with students suspected of involvement.
A 2017 report by Kenya’s National Crime Research Centre pointed to exam stress and extended school terms as contributing factors.
It also suggested that students in different schools communicated via smuggled phones, leading to copycat arson incidents. Just two days after the Hillside fire, two more boarding schools in other counties reported similar fires.
Pius Masai Mwachi, a former director of Kenya’s national disaster management unit, explained that these fires are often triggered by shared frustrations among students, leading some to resort to arson. However, he noted that school staff or outsiders could also be involved in some cases.
Government Response and Criticism
The Kenyan government has pledged to conduct a safety audit of all schools and prosecute any violators of safety regulations. However, many critics argue that these promises surface after every tragedy but rarely lead to significant change.
Mwachi emphasized that most schools lack access to experts who could help prevent such incidents and advocated for regular emergency training and safety drills.
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He stressed the importance of enforcing safety guidelines, calling for comprehensive adherence across institutions.
Calls to ban boarding schools, particularly at the primary level, have also resurfaced, with some suggesting that abandonment issues may play a role in these incidents.
Regardless of the root causes, Ojwang’ is resolute about his decision to withdraw his daughter from boarding school, expressing his relief as the term nears its end, marking the last time she will attend a boarding school.
Kenya Mourns as Parents Fear for Children’s Safety in Boarding Schools.