Hillside Academy set to reopen doors for pupils after fire claimed 21 lives

Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri County is set to reopen its doors just two weeks after a devastating fire claimed the lives of 21 pupils.

Speaking for the first time since the incident, the school's director, David Kinyua, confirmed that the school had received permission to begin repair works of the burnt dormitory.

“I am deeply saddened by this tragedy. I had been with these children for 13 years, and I never imagined such a thing would happen. I am the one who has lost many people. I ask for prayers and for God to help us heal quickly,” Kinyua said.

"We were allowed to start repairs on the dormitory on Saturday.”

He also noted that the affected children will not have to buy anything as all the essential needs will be provided. He said a special committee had been set up to support children who lost their belongings in the fire.

"All their essential needs will be provided by generous well-wishers," he said.

Kinyua revealed that parents, reverends, and education officials had been invited to the school for prayers and discussions to chart a way forward. "We are working together to resume normal operations," he added.

He also acknowledged the ongoing investigations by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and thanked the Kenya Red Cross for their support.

“The Kenya Red Cross stood by us, providing data collection and counselling sessions during this difficult time,” Kinyua said.

The tragic fire broke out on September 6 in one of the dormitories at the institution. The school has a total of 843 registered pupils, including 330 boarders—164 boys and 166 girls.

The boys' dormitory, which was destroyed in the fire, housed 164 pupils. Of these, 143 are alive with three still receiving medical treatment, while 21 tragically lost their lives.

However, some parents claim the whereabouts of some pupils remain unknown despite the declaration by the government that all the missing students have been accounted for.

While the cause of the fire remains unknown, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki assured parents of the affected pupils that the government is fully supporting them in their time of grief. He pledged that justice would be served, and the truth about the cause of the fire would be uncovered.

On Sunday, President William Ruto donated Sh2 million to the school to help them purchase items that were lost during the fire. He said that he would facilitate the burials of all the victims who were affected by the fire.

National exams 

The reopening of the school comes at a time when the national exams are around the corner. Grade 6 learners will have rehearsals for the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) on October 25, with the exams scheduled from October 28 to 31.

Additionally, the Kenya Intermediate Learner Education Assessment (KILEA) for students with special needs will be administered during this period.

There will be no Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exams this year, as the final cohort of 8-4-4 system students completed primary school last year. For the 2024 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams, rehearsals are set for October 18, with the main exams running from October 22 to November 22.