Education Committee launches inquiry into rising school fires, student unrest

The decision was made during a meeting convened to review the recent wave of unrest affecting several institutions, with the Committee noting that the problem has persisted despite previous interventions.

Melly said the inquiry is intended to provide a clear and practical roadmap for addressing the situation, describing the unrest as a recurring challenge that requires urgent attention.

"We need to come up with a way forward on how we are going to look into school unrest across the country," he said.

A briefing from the committee’s research unit highlighted several contributing factors identified in previous studies and assessments.

These include examination-related stress, strained relationships between students and teachers, weak mechanisms for handling learner grievances, inadequate guidance and counselling programmes, overcrowding in boarding schools, poor living conditions in some institutions, and rising cases of drug and substance abuse.

The findings also referenced earlier oversight reports, including the Auditor-General’s 2020 Performance Audit on Fire Safety Preparedness and a recent Ministry of Education school safety assessment.

Both reports pointed to widespread gaps in compliance with safety standards, including overcrowded dormitories, insufficient emergency exits, weak preparedness systems and inadequate safety infrastructure.

The Committee indicated that it will engage a wide range of stakeholders in the course of the inquiry, including parents, students, education officials, security agencies and faith-based organisations, in order to develop comprehensive and practical recommendations.

"School unrest is almost becoming a pandemonium. It is something that is recurring almost every other time," Melly said.

"We will need to meet with parents, possibly meet with students, meet with security agencies, meet with the church and all those people who matter," he added.

Mandera South MP Abdul Haro, however, cautioned against viewing school unrest purely as a disciplinary issue, saying it reflects deeper social and systemic challenges that require a multi-sectoral response involving teachers, parents, learners and government agencies.

Members also raised concerns over overcrowding in schools, the commercialisation of education, drug and substance abuse, inadequate learner support systems, poor communication between students and school administrations, and a general decline in societal values as contributing factors.

Melly further directed the Committee's secretariat to compile all previous reports and inquiries on school unrest to inform the ongoing investigation and ensure that past recommendations are taken into account.