Religious leaders in Homa Bay have urged the government to adopt recommendations of task forces investigating school fires to avert future tragedies.
They spoke days after a horror blaze consumed 21 pupils at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Kieni, Nyeri County.
County Interfaith Council chairman Abrahams Wanda Odongo said most task force reports were left to gather dust on the shelves.
“Kenyans are urging the Ministry of Education to turn the recommendations into policies to address school fires. It is a waste of public resources and time if such reports continue to gather dust,” Odongo said.
He asked the government to publicise past reports.
“We know that the reports have the best methods of keeping children safe in schools even during such emergencies,” Odongo said.
The clergy asked the Ministry of Education officials to frequent schools to ensure learners' safety.
They also want the government to set an age limit for boarding schools, arguing that some learners may be too young to escape an emergency.
Homa Bay Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims secretary Nuhu Masud urged the government to introduce a policy that guides the construction of school buildings.
“Dormitories should be designed by experts in a manner that can help learners escape during an emergency. We should have a standard way of constructing dorms,” Masud said.
He said construction should be standardised to minimise deaths and injuries.
Bishop George Arina of Bethany Compassion Church and his counterpart from Mount Zion Life church Elijah Obado said emergency doors should be increased in dormitories.
He said the government should compensate affected families.
“The state should take responsibility for the losses,” he said.
