The government has directed the closure of boarding sections
of 340 public and private primary schools for failing to meet safety standards.
In a statement on Monday, Basic Education PS Belio Kipsang
said a compliance assessment conducted in September and October established
that some institutions grossly contravened the provisions of the Safety
Standards Manual for Schools in Kenya (2008).
The PS said the schools also failed to adhere to the
standards as prescribed in the Registration Guidelines for Basic Education
Institutions (2021), and were consequently not approved to host boarding
learners.
In circular dated November 27, Kipsang directed regional,
county and subcounty directors of education to ensure the affected schools do
not reopen their boarding sections come January 6, 2025, at the onset of Term 1.
"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,” he said.
Kipsang said the education directors should ensure parents
of the affected schools are informed in good time about the development for
them to make alternative arrangements for their children.
In the wake of new rules for administration of this year’s
national exams and assessments by the Kenya National Examinations Council
(Knec), the Ministry of Education made minor changes to schools closing date.
In the new changes, schools closed on October 24, 2024, to pave the way for KPSEA and KILEA rehearsals.
The ministry later released the 2025 academic calendar
saying Term 1 will start on January 6.
"Re-opening of the boarding sections should strictly be upon
a re-registration process,” Kipsang said.
According to the assessment, some of the schools were found to have not met compliance provisions to operate boarding facilities.
The government ordered the nationwide compliance assessment after a dormitory fire at the Endarasha Hillside Academy in Nyeri county on the night of September 5, claimed the lives of 21 boys.
The assessment found that some boarding schools are not registered and were operating illegally.
Some were found to be using triple-decker beds and those
made of wood and not properly spaced with two- meter pathways.
Audit also found that dormitories in some of the schools have grills on the windows, single exits and doors that opened inwards.
This makes the escape of learners in the event of a disaster
like fire hard or impossible.
The research team also found that some schools had
repurposed dining halls, classrooms and workshops as dormitories without
authorization.
Some of the schools were also found not to have sickbays nor
qualified nurses, many did not provide treated drinking water for learners,
some did not have patrons/wardens for boys' dormitories while some had admitted
boarders who were in pre-primary level contrary to guidelines
The team also established that some schools with boarding
facilities had porous fences and had no gates and some that had gates were left
unmanned posing a grave danger to learners in the event individuals with ill
intent trespassed.
The report also said most heads of institutions were not residing in school as required by guidelines.
