Tragedy Strikes: A Pattern of Crisis in Kenyan Schools
Kenyan boarding schools are facing serious safety concerns after four girls tragically lost their lives at Mukumu school. As a result, the school has been closed and will reopen in phases in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, 40 boys from Mukuuni have been admitted, and the school, which has 900 students, has been closed indefinitely.
This is not an isolated incident, as safety concerns have been raised repeatedly over the years. From fires to collapsing buildings, and fatal school bus crashes, these issues resurface every few years, leading to a cycle of deaths, illness, and closures.
Parents must be anxious about sending their children back to Mukumu and Mukuuni, as well as other schools that have had similar troubles. In the past, task forces have been formed, inquiries launched, and donor funding secured to investigate and identify problems.
Proposals and manuals are then produced, but the issue goes quiet until the next crisis. This cannot continue. How many more crises and deaths must we endure before the government takes decisive action?
Educationists and experts have proposed solutions to the problems facing Kenyan boarding schools. Lack of clean water, overcrowding in dormitories, insufficient sanitation and hygiene standards, and ill-equipped clinics are just some of the issues that need to be addressed.
Clean drinking water, proper sewer systems, and sanitation and hygiene standards must be enforced in all boarding schools, and the John Michuki rules for safe transportation must be strictly enforced.
It is time for the government to take action and implement these solutions. Experts are speaking out, children are speaking out, and parents are anxious. We cannot let another child die from a preventable cause in school. These safety concerns should not be viewed as mere inconveniences but as serious issues that must be addressed urgently. Every child deserves to feel safe and secure in school.
Tragedy Strikes: A Pattern of Crisis in Kenyan Schools
